


The Nightmares of a Magical Girl

by ohmythief



Series: Alternative Lifes for Lapidot [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Girls, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Injury, Corruption, Cunnilingus, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Minor Character Death, POV Third Person, Past Relationship(s), Slow Burn, Vaginal Fingering, Witches, crying sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:55:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23594938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmythief/pseuds/ohmythief
Summary: The Madoka Magica AU nobody asked for (except they are not exactly girls and you don’t need to watch the anime to understand the plot)Peridot is an overexcited magical girl that fights the devil, until she meets Lapis Lazuli. An experienced magical girl that knows too much.
Relationships: Amethyst & Peridot (Steven Universe), Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe), Pearl & Lapis Lazuli (Steven Universe)
Series: Alternative Lifes for Lapidot [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1698409
Comments: 10
Kudos: 26





	1. The (Second) Beginning

_ She was being dragged down by an enormous force. Water filling her lungs and the last bits of her breath lingering above her, caged in small bubbles that abandoned her as well. She was alone, frightened and slowly dying. _

  
  


_ She couldn’t remember her last thoughts. Pitiful. _

  
  


_ Sometimes, a real miracle happened and a safe hand pulled her out of the water, coughing the remnants out and later on, after thanking her saviour, she carried on with a boring and normal life.  _

  
  


_ Probably married by the age of 22, or not. She was most of the college drop-out kind. Maybe focused on expending and spending her life with watercolors. A bohemian artist of some sort, with a cat that threatened her work once in a while. _

  
  
  


_ In that reality, she would curse at cold and forgotten coffee being spilled. She would complaint about her poorly made choices and hopefully, she won’t be aging too long. She never wanted to be over 60, unless she was rotten rich and ready to waste her wrinkly life away with travels and what else. Which to be honest, didn’t seem like a real possibility.  _

  
  


_ And this was the good dream. _

  
  


_ The short tale is that she died right then and there. And this was also a good version of her dream. _

  
  


_ The proper one, which she called the real nightmare (one of many), was where she survived by an uncalled miracle. A demon disguised with white fur, somehow looking like a bizarre kitten. But seemed cute nonetheless.  _

  
  


_ How naive she was. With her wish becoming true. _

  
  


She woke up, repeating the same cycle. Her magical clothes dissapearing by a flash of light and leaving instead her pijamas. 

  
  


She sighed, her thumb fidgeting with the ring now on her finger. Her powers always react to her dream, just like it happened the first time. 

  
  


_ As her thoughts reached the creature, her mind shut down. And the last thing she knew, she was alive and fully clothed in a custome she did not recognize.  _

  
  


_ At the end she finally accepted that same costume as her own armour, the one she will have to wear until her dying breath. For that was the price of her fulfilled wish. _

  
  


_ Now, she didn’t even have the choice of living beyong 30. They took it from her, or more likely: they took that choice away from every one of them. _

  
  


With her fingertips, she ghostly touched her neck and closed her eyes. Lapis Lazuli took a deep breath, at least feeling grateful for that. Her throat was dry, but it didn’t burn. Not anymore.

  
  


After a wide stretch and a few of her joints cracking, she sat up and grimaced at how stiff her whole body suddenly felt. It was a rough night after all, but she didn’t think much of it or else remembering that stupid face would bring out her anger again.

  
  


A loud yawn broke free from her mouth and her hands tangled in her messy blue hair, trying to comb it a little. No such luck her, she would have to worry about it after breakfast.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ Her fist cracked the wall, a dry sound and the trail of her blood making its way down her knuckles and hitting the floor “You think this is some kind of game?!” her restrained voice made the body before her shiver. The girl was stunned, her back flat against the concrete surface. Her mouth left hanging and her green, big round eyes looking at her with most fear.  _

  
  


_ “Alright, blue… This is not our type of fun-“ deep, angered eyes moved and faced the other girl “Listen, just leave Dot alone-“ _

  
  


_ “You think this is funny? Is that it? You couldn’t get it-“ _

  
  


_ “Lapis, I think we are the only people that could get it” Amethyst’s concerned voice rattled in her skull. _

  
  


_ As soon as her fist left the cracked surface, it started healing. There wasn’t going to be an injury to treat after all, and this reminder only made things worse for Lapis “You couldn’t possibly understand… we all are doomed, from the very beggining we wished on something we believed was so important…” with bared teeth, she tilted her head so her expression could be halfway covered by the shadows of her own bangs.  _

_ “Lapis, listen-“ Amethyst tried to calm her down but it was too late. Water gathered around her gem, forming two strong wings that spread wide seconds before taking flight. _

  
  


_ The blonde girl’s legs gave up, her body hitting the floor as she stared dumbfounded at the other magical girl “D-did I say something wrong?” _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Peridot woke up with her nose twitching as it kept reacting to something different in the air. Her stomach growled in complaint as her nostrils took all of the smell.

  
  


Silently, she stood up and walked to the kitchen where she found her roommate beating some eggs to death

“Amethyst, that’s not how you crack eggs” her voice startled the named girl and one of her abused eggshells fell on the floor.

  
  


She groaned, throwing her arms in the air and making more of a mess in the kitchen “Well excuse me, chef. Do the job yourself or piss off!” she threw the last bits on the trashcan and nearly dropped the boiling pan with bacon in the middle of her fit “Godamn it…” she hissed as her burnt hand jerked upward “That’s it, I’m gonna piss off now” and she stomped out of the kitchen.

  
  


She closed the bathroom door after her, leaving Peridot alone and unattended in the kitchen.

  
  


And she was going to take advantage of this opportunity, to prove that she was capable of something. With a smile plastered on her face, she laid new eggs on the counter and turned on the stovetop. As she was about to reach for the pot of salt on the high shelve, the doorbell rang.

  
  


She tried to ignore it, as it was too early for any type of visitors but her stress of not reaching the salt and the person outside threatening to spoil their doorbell made her snap. She closed the shelve harshly and walked towards the door, ready to give whoever was there a piece of her mind.

  
  


But while her hand turned the knob, her nose picked another singular smell ending with her stomach complaining once again and acting as the best reception this stranger could ever get.

It was a girl twice Peridot’s size. She wore glasses that made her look cool in two different ways. The blonde, smaller girl felt intimidated and it showed on her strained voice “Y-Yes, what can I help you?”

  
  


“Do you mind taking this spare food? Mom made too many” as her lips spew the words, her face remained emotionless “Mama also said it was to spare any more eggs’ lifes”

  
  


Peridot’s eyes fell from the girl’s face and noticed a plate covered with a napkin. Steam was evidently coming out of it and without the actual need for words, the growl present from Peridot’s belly betrayed her. And that’s all the other girl needed to know. 

  
  


She gingerly left the plate on the shorter girl’s hand and without another thing to add, she turned away and walked down the hallway.

  
  


“What is it, Dot?” Amethyst asked behind her with a damp towel around hand. She threw ir away as she noticed the injury completely gone by now. With an elongated sigh her eyes finally found the trail of tint hands, but as Peridot was about to answer she interrupted with a loud and excited shout “Yes, free food! Well done Peri” and that was the end of it. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“Can I ask what was the deal on that blue haired woman?” she asked lost in thought, her hands busy drying the clean plates.

  
  


Amethyst’s eyebrows danced teasingly “Gee, Peri. Still thinking about Lazuli?” 

  
  


“Its not like that!” Peridot glared at her roommate, nearly breaking the plate at hand. It bothered her that Amethyst’s suggestion did leave her ears and neck burning.

  
  


“Nevermind her, she has a stick stuck up her-“

  
  


“Amethyst!” 

  
  


“FINE” she relaxed on the couch, her feet now supported by the coffee table. Before she could hear the blonde’s complaint she kept going, knowing that she would be more interested in her words “She has some deep shit going on, I’m not entirely sure but…” a gloomy silence spread across the room before she continued. It took enough for Peridot to finish and join her on the opposite sise of the couch, her gaze fixated on her feet “Lazuli has gone through a lot, it seems”

  
  


“It seems?”

  
  


“Yeah, it’s not like we are besties or something… but you could tell” and Peridot didn’t know what to say, nor did Amethyst. She knew the other girl was right. She seemed suddenly absorbed in her own thoughts, until the silver haired girl brought out a new topic “By the way Dot, you are really getting better. You almost had that witch by yourself”

  
  


She thanked her praise. And their morning was over.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Around her, the air was heavy. In their human bodies, they would have suffocated but they couldn’t know that yet. 

  
  


Peridot felt unease crippling her bones as she noticed that this labyrinth didn’t seem like the others she have encountered before. In her opinion, the humid air felt sulfuric even. But that must have been her.

  
  


As Amethyst and herself made their way deep into the labyrinth, she noticed the familiars. They didn’t have a face, or head simply. Their bodies danced along an unheard melody and their joints seemed to swelling now and then, sometimes shrinking until it looked separated from the main body.

  
  


Bright yellow lightning licked all around, once in a while directly hitting one of the familiars and cracking them into million pieces. The singular remnants mildly exploded and left nothing else. Every time it happened, a bitter laugh echoed not around, but right inside their skulls. 

  
  


The lighting was clearly gathering around the only apparent door. And it was obvious that the witch was there. 

  
  


Amethyst grabbed the knob firmly and looked back at her companion “Alright Dot, we got this” 

  
  


And no other words were needed. 

  
  


They made their way inside.


	2. Getting To Know Your Enemy

Lapis watched from afar. Squatting and balancing her weight on a street light, she watched the other two magical girls celebrating their victory.

  
  


As Amethyst retrieved the grief seed left behind, her blue eyes focused entirely on the blonde girl. Her brows furrowed with annoyance and started twitching as her glare noticed the girl’s features. 

  
  


‘Was she a magical girl or a discount super hero? This has got to be a joke’ she thought, her jaw clenching. The taller girl wasn’t sure what bothered more: the awful design of her goofy costume with the big and pointy glasses, the bow tie, the big long boots, the frilly shorts 10 inches above the cut of said boots, her pointy and weird hairstyle; or just her whole actitude.

  
  


In conclusion, she hated Peridot’s guts. But that’s a lie, she couldn’t hate her, “Fuck, I hate that midget” not really. 

  
  


“Alright Dot, let’s call it a night” Amethyst detransformed and pulled her long hair in a tight ponytail. She took a few steps towards their residence but noticed her companion completely distraught “Un, Dot? Earth to Peridot?”

  
  


Her eyes remained puzzled, not exactly looking at Amethyst as she muttered her answer “Ah yes, do you mind if we meet later? I ought to to something first” 

  
  


“Yoy are not going to look for another witch, right cheater?” 

  
  


She snapped back and glared at the other girl “Amethyst, that’s ridiculous! Stop assuming stuff unknowingly”

  
  


“Geez Dot, chill. It was a joke” her hands up in surrender, she was certain that she hit a nerve. Peridot wasn’t exactly going to look for another witch, but rather… She has noticed too, she’s not dumb “Don’t stay out too late, ain’t gonna leave the door open longer than midnight”

  
  


Peridot nodded and walked away, her magical girl clothes still on. With a small tap on her forehead, where her soul gem was located, her visor became a new shade of yellow allowing her to look even in pitch black.

  
  


She was feeling anxious, her ehes scanning the dark alley as if something of someone could jump at her any moment. Which was a possibility.

  
  


With her heart hammering inside her chest, she closed her eyes and tried to relax while calling out for her stalker “Lapis? Would you please come out?”

  
  


And immediately, the sound of water drops hitting the ground made her green eyes to open wide and stare at the beauty in front of her. 

  
  


Lapis Lazuli wore her soul gem on her back, neatly framed by a tied ribbon on the back of her neck where its front strands hung onto either side the short top that covered her chest enticently, not really meeting at the middle so the bridge of her chest was exposed revealing her dark skin.

  
  


As her expression remained stern, her skirt fluttered in the air. Peridot couldn’t help but notice that below her irregularly cut skirt that reached her knees, the frilly and nearly transparent fabric below it laid her long and beautiful legs uncovered. At last, it seemed odd that the blue haired beauty wouldn’t choose to wear any shoes for her battle clothes. 

  
  


Her face burned at the time she acknowledged that she was definitely longingly staring at the other magical girl “Are you done?” her arms folded and her bared foot started tapping the ground impatiently. 

  
  


“I-Im so sorry, I didn’t mean to-“ Peridot clasped her hands together in surrender but at the moment realized something “Wait! I’m not the one that should be apologizing!” her stand became wider and she threw her index finger towards the other girl, accusingly “Why were you following us around? Do you have  _ beef _ with me, you clod?!”

  
  


Trying to portrait herself as menacing wasn’t as easy as Lapis Lazuli thought, as she was struggling to supress a few snorts from sprouting out. As much as she wanted to despise the girl before her, her goofy demeanour didn’t help “What, you believe yourself to be that important? I was only after the witch”

  
  


Peridot retreated her pointing finger and crossed her arms “Alright, it makes sense”

  
  


… “That’s it?”

  
  


“...”

  
  


“...”

  
  


“Wait no!” Lapis wasn’t certain if her guts twisted in hidden laughter or annoyance, but was sure as hell that she wanted to bite off the irritating finger that nearly touched her nose “The witch is gone, why are you still following me?”

  
  


“Alright smarty shorts, maybe I wanted to get rid of your stupid face” she nearly dropped her charade as Peridot jumped a few steps back, her body left trembling acting accordingly to her threat.

  
  


The blonde girl gasped and spit the next words in a higher pitch “I knew it?” 

  
  


This was going nowhere, Lapis wasn’t even sure why she was still standing here “A-Are you really asking me?” she should just summon her wings and leave the other magical girl alone.

  
  


“No!” both girls flinched at the sound of her voice, as Peridot didn’t mean to scream. She coughed and recovered her normal nasal voice “You are trying to decrease your competition and fight all the witches yourself” and at the same time her words left her mouth, Peridot knew she said something very wrong.

  
  


Lapis summoned her wings, waterdrops coming from everywhere and some of them hitting Peridot’s skin like small ice needles. The blonde girl noticed that her wings didn’t look like days before, this time sharper and seemingly frozen in a few corners. But wondrous as ever. “You don’t know what you are saying” her voice became venom, her face erasing every hint of emotion and her long skirt began fluttering wildly.

  
  


Instinctly, Peridot summoned a weapon of her choice from out of her soul gem. A silver spear became in the way between the two girls, but its sharp point wasnt directed at the blue haired girl. Instead, Peridot’s stance was entirely defensive “Why do you hate me, Lazuli? Aren’t we supposed to be on the same team?”

  
  


A cold laugh filled the air, making Peridot’s shoulders tense. She took a step back afraid of that must be going on inside the other girl’s head, but she kept laughing as Peridot’s entire body screamed to drag her out of there “The same team, you say?” she said between intakes of breath.

  
  


In the slow seconds passing by, Lapis Lazuli’s feet weren’t touching the ground anymore. Instead, her wings hit the air elegantly and her whole body hovered in the low sky with the moon behind. Her clothes and short hair danced with the wind, giving Peridot the most beautiful and threatening sight her eyes laid on.

  
  


“Say, what did you wish for?”

  
  


“Why do you care?” Peridot retreated her spear. There wasn’t going to be an armed fight, at least.

  
  


Lapis went silent for a while and Peridot couldn’t read her expression, as her face was hidden in the shadows.

  
  


The wind prickled her skin as she contemplated the other girl “Maybe you could start answering your own question before asking someone else” another voice filled the silence, but neither girl turned to look at the source as they recognized it.

  
  


Peridot felt Amethyst’s hand on her shoulder and the slight weight it made reminded her of how tired she was. With a single blink, her body was back to her regular clothes and her big round glasses. 

  
  


Finally, Lapis elevated even more and turned her back to them. The only thing glaring at them was her tear shaped gem reflecting the moonlight “I didn’t have a choice like any other magical girls. It was either this or dying” and she left.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


As she spotted her barn closer, the magic released her and she walked the rest of the way. 

  
  


Shortly after reaching the small house next to the barn, she decided that a single banana will be enough to call it a day. The magical girl did just that and climbed the stairs all the way to the bedroom. Or more likely, the only inhabited bedroom.

  
  


Lapis changed out of her jeans and shirt, putting on a silk dress instead and tossed her sandals away. She heard them hitting something in the floor but couldn’t be less worried. 

  
  


Throwing herself face first on the bed, she was certain that it was going to be another night of restlessly turning around. 

  
  


With only one eye open she stared at the window, focusing on counting the stars to no avail. She couldn’t fall asleep. So she stood up again and left the house.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The second she buried her bared feet in the cold sand, her magical girl disguise was off. She regreted not putting on more proper clothes as the wind kissed her skin, not at all protected against the merciless cold that dampened her bones. Her silk dress felt more like an useless cloth right now. 

  
  


But she didn’t care.

  
  


This sensation was the consequence of being alive. Breathing and kicking.

  
  


Her body shivered as her feet dragged the sand and she felt like the open sea before her was calling her. But she didn’t meet the water.

  
  


Instead, she sat down with her knees down her chin and held her legs close to her body tightly hugging them with her arms. 

  
  


She stared at the moon, and it stared back at her with bright light in the present dark night. The waves sound as they crashed down made her feel at peace, safe.

  
  


She sighed and surrounded to the sea breeze biting her as she laid down on the sand, her arms and legs outstretched and her dress tickling her thighs.

  
  


Lapis knew she couldn’t fall asleep in the beach, and its not like she was planning to. But the waves and smell of the sea lulled her, and she was about to give up when she heard an artificial sound.

  
  


It was some sort of buzzing getting closer. She sat down harshly and looked around, the sand falling from her hair as she turned her head left and right. 

  
  


That’s when she noticed something weird.

  
  


It was a small gadget, flying towards her “What the-“ it flew higher before hitting the sand merely a few inches beside Lapis. It seemed to immediately shut down and the sound of the waves uninterrupted only lasted for a few minutes, where she just stared dumbfounded at the small dead robot.

  
  


“I’m sorry, it just flew away! I’m so sorry!” a well known voice hit Lapis and it only fed her confusion even more. The blonde girl was left gasping for breath as her knees met the sand.

  
  


“What are you doing here?” Lapis suddenly felt too exposed with just the thin piece of clothing as a cover.

  
  


As she wheezed and her knees hit the sand, she gingerly grabbed the small robot. It was clear to Lapis that she was avoiding her eyes “I-I was just following… Um, chasing my robot and it just flew away! That’s the whole story I swear!” 

  
  


The blonde girl put the gadget inside her hoodie’s pocket and seemed ready to run away “So it just acted on its own? And decided to take a swim?”

  
  


“Y-Yes” Lapis arched an eyebrow, “No…” 

  
  


Peridot without her magic clothes seemed like a real person, too normal. She still wore a big pair of glasses but they were round and framed her also round head perfectly. In the moonlight, Lapis could count the freckles on her cheeks and nose. She was a cute nerd, but Lapis would never admit that. At least outloud.

  
  


Her nasal voice joined the sound of the waves, low but clear “You are right, it was following you” her face became a dark shade of red.

  
  


“Why are you following me, Peridot?” The blue haired girl stood up and crossed her arms, mostly in an attempt to cover her chest reacting to the harsh cold. 

  
  


She followed after Lapis, standing up but never meeting her blue eyes. 

  
  


She muttered something but Lapis didn’t catch it at all “Speak louder, nerd”

  
  


She gulped down and started fidgeting with her hands “I said…” her hands took hide inside her pockets and she finally stared back at Lapis, her big green eyes meeting her narrowed blue eyes. She seemed afraid, like her words only could break a vase “You seemed… Sad”

  
  


This was not what Lapis expected at all, but it’s not like she was expecting any of this “What does that have to do with you, though?” 

  
  


“N-Nothing…” she answered honestly, retreating her gaze.

  
  


Lapis hummed slightly, not knowing what to say. Sure, Peridot followed her all the way here but  _ touché _ . She was the one to strike first, being the original stalker and all of that. 

  
  


Hours before she wanted to hate this girl’s guts but she was completely harmless. She was just naive, and lively. Lapis couldn’t convince herself to hate her.

  
  


“Do you want to lie down?” The blue haired girl whispered, already sitting down on the sand.

  
  


“W-wha… Oh, sure” Peridot did the same. They slowly lied down on the sand, their shoulders brushing together. It gave her the answer she wasn’t able to ask, as Lapis started shivering. 

  
  


Lapis looked at her as she sat down again and pulled down the hoodie’s zipper. She snorted as a white t-shirt was revealed with a green alien on it ‘She’s such a nerd’. She smiled at her, completely unaware of her intentions. 

  
  


Soon enough her body felt warm as Peridot offered her hoodie, now with her gesture clear. Lapis took seat beside her once again and put the hoodie without hesitation as she was regretting the cold “Thank you”, she said.

  
  


Peridot nodded and fell silent, eyes locked in the stars.

  
  


As Lapis tried to warm herself up, she tried hiding her hands inside the cuffs of the hoodie but found them too short, not even reaching her wrists. For some reason, this just made her smile even wider. Instead, she hid her hands on the pockets and her fingertips grasped the small robot once again. 

  
  


She grabbed it carefully and brought it to the moonlight, studying it with raw interest. “Back then you asked what my wish was about” Peridot kept looking up at the night sky.

  
  


“You don’t have to tell me If you don’t want to” 

  
  


The blonde girl looked at the other’s face, and then to the gadget between her hands “it’s okay, I don’t care” she took the small robot in her own tiny hands and started working on it “This is why” she adjusted a few things here and there, moved and pushed a few buttons and finally gave it a twist. 

  
  


Its lights came back on, beeping noises as it laid on its creator’s hand waiting for instructions. Lapis said nothing, she just looked in awe at the smaller girl.

  
  


“I was in a bad accident, a plane crash. My limbs not only got hurt but my injuries got contaminated with tetanus and they had to cut them” one of her fingers twisted the same key once again turning the gadget off. She dropped it beside her and stretched her arms.

  
  


As her arm hung down again, Lapis locked one of Peridot’s hands with her own. But neither of them were looking at the other “Kyubey visited you then?”

  
  


She nodded. Her hand closed tight around Lapis’s before letting it go. She then stood up with a wide stance and her fists on her waist, a bright smile on her face “Fighting those witchy-clods is not enough to repay my granted wish, as I don’t imagine myself as nothing but a highly praised technician!” 

“Surrounded by modesty, I can tell” Lapis laughed while brushing the sand off her as she got up. 

  
  


“But its true! I was highly complimented by my teachers and I even won the science fair three years in a row!” her arms waved in the air at her last set of words trying to get her point across.

  
  


“Righ, right. I totally believe you” she grinned and started walking away, Peridot following right behind her.

  
  


“See? I’m an evident genius, even Amethyst says so”

  
  


“Does she, really?”

  
  


And they left the beach behind.


	3. Tears of Sorrow

A loud knock startled her awake. She relunctantly stepped out of her bed, her naked feet meeting the cold and unforgiving floor. 

  
  


Between yawns and half lidded eyes she finally made her way towards the door, which was currently being abused by whoever was knocking her door at - she glanced at the clock - 6 in the morning.

  
  


She finally opened the door ready to fight someone, but flinched as she quickly remembered the events from last night “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that”

  
  


“How dare you?!” Peridot hit her roomate repeatedly with her open palms while avoiding her grasp.

  
  


As her last resort she stepped back making the other girl loose her balance and falling face flat on the floor “I said I wasn’t gonna leave it open…”

  
  


Her muffled voice answered, as she laid face down “You said by midnight, it was hardly eleven! I demand an apology at least!”

  
  


“Already did, nerd”

  
  


“You did not”

  
  


“It was like… The exact first thing I said to you, five minutes ago kinda” Amethyst helped her stand up and before she could keep her winning, she tried changing the subject “You look nice though, where did you spend the night?”

  
  


Without missing a heartbeat, she answered nonchalantly “I slept at Lazuli’s place”

  
  


Amethyst waited for Peridot to elaborate, eyes wide and stunned in shock but she seemed to be done with her explanation as she walked to her room “Say again, Dot?”

  
  


“I said, I slept at Lapis Lazuli’s place”

  
  


“You what?!”

  
  


Peridot turned around harshly, annoyance clear on her face “Is something stuck in your ear canal? Amethyst, I clearly said-“

  
  


“At Lazuli’s?!” the other girl was at a lost of words, as Peridot regarded the issue as the most obvious thing ever: why would there be any chance of doubt about it? Of course she slept at the same girl that tried to murder her, it makes all the sense in the world.

  
  


“So you did hear me! You are only pulling me leg” with Amethyst busy in her own turmoil of confusion, gagged and expecting that it was the blonde there who was pulling her leg, she was oblivious that Peridot was already entering her dorm with her hand on the door “If you are done, I would like to sleep some more” and without waiting for her response, the door closed sharp.

  
  


Amethyst flinched, then sighed and looked at the clock once again. She scratched her scalp, tiredness wearing her out and started walking to her own room with her shoulders slumped “Whatever, man”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“Are you sure this is okay?” Peridot screamed with all she could, trying to reach Amethyst.

  
  


She was sweating profusely, her arms strained as they tried to gather every piece of metal she could find in their improvised shield. It was the only thing standing between the witch and them. 

  
  


“Yeah, dude. It looks worse than it really is” Amethyst was kneeling and bleeding badly from a nasty hit on her forehead. Her face what smeared in her own blood and the tears she kept crying. 

  
  


For some reason, as soon as they got closer to the witch’s door an enormous wave of pain engulfed them and tears started streaming wildly out of their eyes. 

  
  


This was supposed to be another witch hunt. She didn’t even seem tough when they walked in, but at the same time that weird wave expanded everything around shifted accordingly. The familiars of the witch started moving more frantically, the air became heavier but nothing was touching them.

  
  


But for some reason, something kept gnawing them inside their throats and the pit of their stomachs. As one may say, the witch was feeling deep sorrow. Which was impossible “I hope it does, because you look terrible” 

  
  


“Gee, thanks Dot” she got up, but still propping one knee and summoned her whip. The path of blood went down her right eye, forcing it close. She couldn’t feel any type of physical pain, but a few stings here and there that were going to heal soon anyway “Alright, I will lend the final blow. You gotta back me up, Dot”

  
  


“Wait, Ame-“ but it was too late. She already sprinted towards the howling witch, taking height will a single jump and threw her whip back, hoping to hit the witch hard enough as it returned with force.

  
  


On its path forward, the whip transformed and now carried thorns everywhere. Peridot felt hopeful at last, but lost it the second later. She failed.

  
  


Amethyst was thrown back from where she came from and knocked unconscious. She immediately detransformed and fell on the ground  _ “There is no way…” _

  
  


Suddenly, her own tears didn’t seem like a product of the witch’s curse. Her heart as aching as she glanced back at her partner and the protective shield started to tremble. 

  
  


But this couldn’t be the end of them. No way. It’s too soon.

  
  


She expected the witch to laugh, but it never came. As Peridot could felt, her heart just seemed heavier by the second. She was going to collapse anytime soon.

  
  


This was going to be another witch together. She didn’t expect it could be their last. For that, she decided “I won’t surrend myself so easily, clod!”. With her forearm she cleared the tears as the shield gave up in front of her.

  
  


She detailed the sight in front of her, and thought she was mistaken at what she saw. The witch looked somewhat humanoid, and as she could assume, she was kneeling and covering her face with her hands. A waterfall spilled between her fingers but made no sound as it hit the floor. The only sound was of her hysterical crying that pierced Peridot’s ears. 

  
  


The magical girl took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Extending her arms towards the witch, she concentrated on the metal at her feet. She felt it shifting at her will, gathering and forming an enormous spear.

  
  


Her eyes opened and focused on the enemy, ready for the hit that hopefully would free them. Slowly, Peridot stepped on the big weapon convinced that this way she will make sure it hit where she needed. Where they needed.

  
  


With a last side glance at Amethyst, she smiled noticing that her injuries were nearly gone. She was alive as her magic was working. It doesn’t matter how, this will end well.

  
  


Again, with her eyes fixated on the witch, she moved the steel at her will. With a loud cry of war she threw herself. 

  
  


And she noticed how bad of an idea this was. Because the witch started floating and moving out of her way. She was going to crack her skull and die. It was eminent. This were her only thoughts of the sparse seconds she had left. 

  
  


She was going to die and leave Amethyst trapped inside this labyrinth. She was going to die crying her eyes out. 

  
  


Perodot turned her head, as her body reacted subconsciously to her unavoidable death. And she was definitely going to close her eyes, but saw something that hitched her own breath.

  
  


Fierce blue eyes stared at her, as her angel accompanied her fall. Instead that she never crashed. And she wasn’t falling anymore. 

  
  


Her angel looked down at her as she carried her bridal style. A tug at the corners of her mouth resembled a smile as her wings spread wide and the whole world around them changed. 

  
  


All around them, the sundown made the perfect view for her death. Peridot didn’t know that dying could be so beautiful.

  
  


Her angel with blue hair started laughing. It was a small laugh, but honest “You are not dead, Peridot” her heavenly voice said. 

  
  


She was going to ask her about the afterlife when obnoxious shrieks of laughter and wheezing broke her illusion.

  
  


As her neck turned, nearly giving whiplash, she spotted Amethyst twisting and hugging herself on the floor “Y-You should have seem your face, oh my-“ she was gasping and left choking, her fist hitting the floor.

  
  


Peridot’s own feet hit the floor, as she was still fazed by everything that happened. She tried to stare at her saviour but only spotted her wings flapping in the distance. 

  
  


That’s when realisation hit her hard and cold, and her whole body burned in shame and embarrassment. 

  
  
  
  


_ “Are you my angel? Is this how being death is like?”  _ she started laughing once again, snorting and crying by making fun of the other girl.

  
  


“Amethyst,  _ shut up” _

  
  
  
  


“What exactly happened back in the labyrinth?” Peridot muttered in the middle of their meal.

  
  


“Oh, you mean aside from making a fool of yourself?” she snickered before shoving the loaf of bread inside her mouth. Peridot whined and started to argue, but Amethyst ignored her “You ended the witch, Dot. You saved us”

  
  


“That’s ridiculous Amethyst, the witch was fast and avoided my handcrafted weapon. It was impossible for me to properly aim in that poorly made spear. It had to be Lapis”

  
  


“You mean your angel?” Amethyst smiled fondly at her, not a single hint of mischief. Her next words were sincere and real “Seriously, Peri. You saved us. Lapis pinned the witch down with her weird water bending powers, though. But you nearly killed yourself halfassing that big spear” 

  
  


Peridot wasn’t so sure to be called the hero of this story. But she let it go “Something struck me as odd though” Amethyst stopped eating, guessing Peridot’s concearn “The labyrinth of that witch felt… somewhat familiar. Like we have already visited it before, but it was different” she groaned and rubbed her forehead “I’m not making much sense, but it struck me as an exact opposite”

  
  


“Like they were cut with the same knife, you mean?” 

  
  


“It sounds to me”

  
  


“Hm…” Amethyst resumed her feast “Maybe you should get more sleep and stop watching stupid romcoms until late, nerd”

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, this story packs more plot than Tangerines and Seawater, but hey. We are getting close to some real fluff (and lots of angst).


	4. The Winglady

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cracks knuckles* here it goes

_ The gracious magical girl danced in the air, floating from enemy to enemy and giving each of them a final strike with her eyes closed. _

  
  


_ She moved like a ballerina, sure of each movement and a proud grin on her face. Her skirt danced with her, following a ballad that only she could hear. _

  
  


_ Lapis watched from afar, eyes fixated on her senior “You don’t have to look so smug, you know?”, her humorous mood was evident in her words. She was enjoying nevertheless. _

  
  


_ The grace figure stopped with her feet en pointe, staring at the other girl with only one eye open “Lapis, I don’t see you following me. This could be dangerous” she tried to hide her smile.  _

  
  


_ “C’mon Pearl, you already got this. So much for letting me handle this” she said, exasperation clear on her voice. _

  
  


_ “Don’t be so sure, labyrinths are tricky. You see?” one of the formerly beaten figures rose again and tried to trap her but she quickly impaled it. Confetti flew out of its wound, as some sort of sick joke “Also, you will be the one to end this witch’s familiar. This time I will be but the backup, only if I’m needed of course” _

  
  


_ “Yeah, sure” Lapis strangled three of the nearest enemies with snakes of water. They poofed and more of them kept coming at her, but she took them down with ease “Why don’t we look for witches? Familiars don’t drop any grief seeds” _

  
  


_ “Lapis, I know we need them to clear our soul gems. But remember that familiars, as much as witches-“ she kept dancing and killing anything on her way and Lapis followed her but not as gracefully. She just wanted to get out as soon as possible “Although not as strong-“ a bigger enemy got behind Lapis’ back, but Pearl threw her sword to its location and after joined her apprentice, now fighting back to back “They still summon chaos and accidents on humankind wherever they go. It’s also our duty to stop them” _

  
  


_ “But we are only straining ourselves, our magic runs low and-“ Lapis groaned, spikes of nearly frozen water thrown everywhere. _

  
  


_ “Lapis” Pearl said harshly making the other girl flinch “It may not be as rewarding, but familiars do turn into witches and become stronger, always remember that” _

  
  


_ “Alright, cutting them from the root” Lapis gathered enough water to form her wings and grabbed Pearl, throwing her to a crowd of minions.  _

  
  


_ She hit the ground with only the point of her feet again and spun, dancing as she easily finished each of them. With a smile and a pose, explosions of confetti surrounded her and Lapis snickered “Precisely”, she then said cheerfully. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Lapis opened her eyes.

  
  


Her eyelids burned, as she was up until late again. She could drift back to sleep, but her digestive system said otherwise.

  
  


Staring at the ceiling, she wondered about how her nightmares still taunt her even when years pass by. But forgot all about them as her head turned and spotted the singular chair in the room with piled clothes. On top of it, Peridot’s hoodie greeted her.

  
  


Her heart fluttered but she decided to ignore it, also wiping a wild smile that snuck past her. 

  
  


The tall girl didn’t feel like cooking, so she washed up, dressed in shorts and a flannel, and strolled right into town. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


She visited the donut shop, reminiscing memories from long ago where she walked into this same shop with a dear friend. Although said friend wasn’t fond of the fried food they sold, somehow after a tedious fight they ended in the same place. Same bitter coffee, and

  
  


“Same order?” said the blonde girl smiling sheepishly “One jelly covered doughnut and two black coffees?”

  
  


Lapis looked around the shop, almost empty except for a few youngsters “You still work here” she continued the small talk, unsure of her real reasons for visiting this place. Whatever good memories she had turned bitter.

  
  


“One of many jobs, it helps paying college” she answered leaning on the counter, “You still live around here”

  
  


She stared back at the girl, panned up for the menu and muttered the first order that came to mind. 

  
  


The girl nodded and retreated to the kitchen. 

  
  


“So,” said another voice from behind the counter “I don’t see you hanging around with your girlfriend”

  
  


Lapis immediately glared at the boy and he jumped to hide. She turned around and sat on one of the corner tables, throwing her keys and cellphone of the table and relaxing on the chair as she stared at the familiar ceiling.

  
  


She smelled rain in the air, but it was probably going to pour down after she made it home. Nothing to worry about, even if she got caught between it. 

  
  


She instead focused on the sound of leaves and waves. The latter were far in the distance, and she suddenly remember why she came here everytime. A ghost of a smile met with the genuine one of the girl before her, tray on her hands “This is on the house” 

  
  


“It’s not-“

  
  


“I insist. If you won’t, then take it as an apology for Lars’ untamed tongue” her smile was so honest and bright, Lapis accepted it not before muttering her thanks.

  
  


She sank her teeth in her powdered donut, grateful for all the sweet and nice things in the world. Her stomach did the same. 

  
  


Lapis didn’t notice two things in the middle of her bliss.

  
  


One, Sadie was staring at her with an enormous smile of contentment. 

  
  


The second was one that was clearly going to happen, as two pair of footsteps reached the shop filling it with bickering and whinning. One of the girls was particularly loud as she was being made fun of by the other one.

  
  


This of course, made Sadie snap back to work as she was taling the newcomers’ orders with glee. With this, the smaller girl went completely ignored as the other two started chatting lively.

  
  


The same lone girl sighed and answered to her friend’s request of finding a table to snack on. And as she panned the whole place, she spotted Lapis and yelped. This of course brought the attention of everyone present.

  
  


All the eyes were focused on the blonde girl that became a bag of anxiety. But her own green eyes locked on the girl sitting in the far corner. 

  
  


This was something that both of the girls shared: they could feel heat rising to her cheeks. As for Peridot, it spread to her entire face and ears. She was easily flustered and her friend knew this.

  
  


Before Lapis could enjoy her last bite, she could hear Amethyst’s snickering as she grabbed Peridot’s elbow and shoved her towards the blue haired beauty “Hey blue, long time no see” 

  
  


“Hi” Lapis said, deadpan.

  
  


“Do you mind if we sit here?” she said, grabbing two chairs and propping her knee of one of them. She fluttered her eyelashes as her elbows met the table, her hands supporting her head “Do you, angel?”

  
  


Peridot felt like fainting, as she avoided Lapis’ scrutinising her. She suddenly felt self conscious about the stained t-shirt and jeans she chose to wear. In reality, Lapis eas just checking her put. And Amethyst picked on this.

  
  


“You look comfortable already” she stared back at the other girl, fighting her fierce gaze as they tried to get on each other’s nerves.

  
  


Amethyst smirked and retreated from the chair, a hand on her hip “Right, then Peridot will hang out here while I order” she said her goodbyes and walked towards the counter. 

  
  


Said girl seemed more interested in her shoes, probably asking them why aren’t they carruing her out of this situation “You maybe want to… take a seat?”

  
  


Her shoulders shook, as she didn’t expect Lapis to actually refer to her “Would you mind?”

  
  


Her tiny and nasal voice brought a grin on the other’s face, and she tried to cover it with her coffee “Not at all” and she sat down.

  
  


A few muffled laughs could be noticed from time to time, as both girls sat in uncomfortable silence. Peridot seemed more annoyed each time she caught on the girls at the counter most ceirtanly staring and laughing at their table.

  
  


So, Lapis got up and immediately noticed Peridot’s shoulders fall. She decided to be bold “Peridot” the girl mentioned answered with a hum “I need to go somewhere else”

  
  


“O-Of course, I guess this is farewell Lazuli” she was hammering the table with her fingertips, but was finally looking at her. 

  
  


“Care to join me?” she finally said, nonchalantly. But her hearbeats were definitely another story.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Peridot was more at ease by each passing second. She kept talking about nuts and bolts, for all Lapis cared. But as they made their way to the beach, she was trying to hide her smile.

  
  


Sure, she didn’t understand most of the other girl’s jabbering. But there was something in the way she spoke about it. 

  
  


How she kept reaching for the bridge of her big glasses and pushed them back up and how it distracted Lapis because she subconsciously followed her fingers and her eyes stopped on Peridot’s numerous freckles. 

  
  


The way her nose twitches and wrinkles when she is against something of the matter. Or how her arms waved wildly as she tried to explain, gesturing and drawing things in the air. 

  
  


She also learned a few things, because some parts where in normal english. 

  
  


Peridot is an only daughter, and her parents aren’t dead. They are overseas, but she didn’t have the best relationship with them. They still took care of most of her expenses but she was eager to find a job. 

  
  


She was a college student, in engineering. But she had started late due to her later conditions. She also explained that she didn’t understand how, but nobody remember her limbs being cut and it was better since she didn’t have to come up with explanations that she did not have. 

  
  


Although she’s an science maniac, she believes in powers beyond explanation. And how could she not, as she was one of those great contradictions. 

  
  


Lapis was grateful that it was Peridot who filled most of their conversation because she wouldn’t know what to say. 

  
  


“So, I recall you are a painter?” she said turning to Lapis. 

  
  


“I did?” she snapped out of her trance, busy counting Peridot’s freckles. She looked around and found they were close to the destination. Although she still wasn’t sure why she eas bringing Peridot, but it didn’t matter anymore.

  
  


“I-I mean, as a hobby?” she showed her hands surrender, smiling anxiously “I didn’t want to assume-“

  
  


“I do” Lapis smiled, honest and bright. Her eyes studied the hue of Peridot’s green eyes as she turned red as a cherry “Want to see?”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


As they passed an overgrown mangrove, Lapis steadily walked on its thick roots. It helped that she had long necks, but her companion did not. Peridot struggled following her and she nearly fell twice but she managed without Lapis’s help (since she insisted that she was capable enough, and Lapis didn’t want to push her).

  
  


Up until the last part, Peridot tripped with a small vine that caught her foot and almost met the swamp but Lapis found her hands and pulled her close. Of course, the shorter girl muttered apologies while her face blushed furiously. 

  
  


But Lapis was occupied staring at the difference size of their hands. She was mesmerised at how these tiny, calloused hands could and would create so many wonderful things. 

  
  


Agaisnt Peridot’s request and possibly her heart condition, Lapis grasped tightly her hand in hers and they finally met the meant spot. Reluctantly, they dropped their hands.

  
  


“Here we are” she proudly said. Staring at nothing in particular but rocks and a weak waterfall that was hardly Peridot’s height.

  
  


Peridot looked around, not really spotting anything. She was scared to ask, but also the thought that Lapis was probably making fun of her was gnawing her insides.

  
  


She eyed her sideways, mischievously smiling. With a loud sigh, she spread her legs in a wide stance and her clothes and hair fluttered before light engulfed her. 

  
  


After the blinding glow went away, Lapis stood on her same spot with her magical girl clothes and her soul gem greeting Peridot as she still stood behind her.

  
  


With her outstretched palm, a section of the waterfall froze over, just above the small cave entrance that was finally visible. The larger than wider cube of ice guided the flooding water to the sides, succesfully framing the hideout.

  
  


Peridot marveled at the mystery ahead, and she looked at Lapis’s face. She smiled playfully at her and seconds later Lapis ran inside, her bubbly laughter echoing inside the stone walls as Peridot followed her with her own heart fluttering.

  
  


“So,” she said, her body dancing in circles as her spread arms pointed at everything and nothing in particular at the time they reached the real hideout “Here is my secret place”

  
  


It was a room made of stone walls, paintings reaching for the ceiling and the floor on every corner they could look out. 

  
  


As Peridot touched the surface she noticed that the stone was polished and smooth. The place was caved in with great care but the two most outstanding things were the obvious artwork in… welll, everywhere.

  
  


And the second thing was the girl in front of her. 

  
  


Lapis stopped spinning and smiled wide, her long and frilly skirt still fluttering on her long legs. She seemed out of breath but with so much life.

  
  


Peridot couldn’t say a thing. She was a cherry, sputtering mess. And the heavy throbbing in her ears stopped her from hearing Lapis’s next words, saving her life at last.

  
  


“Want me to paint you like one of those french girls?”


	5. The (True) Beginning (Of the Fall)

Peridot was trying to wipe a dried paint stain off her chin when she spotted it. She stopped scrubbing her face while she detailed the big drawing of a girl dancing. 

  
  


She was beautiful and so was the style of the painting. A tall and thin girl that she was certain was adopting a ballet pose. Although she didn’t acknowledge the name of it.

  
  


Peridot also noticed the same girl repeated here and there all over the place, and it only fueled her curiosity.

  
  


“You want to ask about it” said Lapis behind her. She was carrying a variety of colors, her eyes longingly gazing at the gracious figure. She then smiled at Peridot, one that didn’t meet her eyes and walked past her.

  
  


“I’m curious, but you don’t have to tell me” she looked as the other girl sat on the floor and started working mixing two colors in a small container.

  
  


She cursed at not getting it right at the first time, nor at the second try. Lapis was distracted but not because she was actively avoiding Peridot but because her thoughts drifted somewhere else.

  
  


Peridot joined her on the floor and watched the other girl work, thinking that the conversation was over.

  
  


But with a low whisper, Lapis brought it back “Her name was Pearl”, and nothing else was said in the matter.

  
  


Peridot glanced at said girl’s painting once again and something heavy settled in her heart. It was someone that Lapid held dearly, and lost. And she didn’t understand loss yet. So she decided that shutting her mouth was best.

  
  


“Here, want to help me out?” Lapis offered her hand after standing up, and Peridot didn’t hesitate. 

  
  


Still grabbing her hand, she guided Peridot towards the nearest wall and asked her to paint anything. Peridot profusely denied ruining her wall but she insisted, appeasing her saying that they will be collaborating together this time. 

  
  


The arrangement seemed fine with Peridot, because if she ruined it, Lapis only had to paint over her weak lines. 

  
  


The first thing that came to her mind were sunflowers, and she started sketching an outline for them. 

  
  


Peridot thought this was going to be fun, hanging with Lapis and joining her in one of her passions. Although she wanted to ask why was she here. They hardly knew each other and this was Lapis’s sanctuary.

  
  


Or more likely… She barely knew a thing or two about Lapis Lazuli. The girl was pretty reserved, but it was okay for Peridot. 

  
  


What was not okay, was that Lapis was drawing over her. As in, she was right behind Peridot focused on a spot right above their heads.

  
  


Peridot was shaking, her hands ruining whatever work she had done. And Lapis’s breath tickled her. 

  
  


Sometimes the girl had to reach a taller spot on her tiptoes, leaning even more against Peridot and the latter was afraid that Lapis could feel her heart hammering wildly. 

  
  


She didn’t want to break the girl’s concentration, but having her so close was going to make her faint for sure. 

  
  


And it almost happened.

While Lapis tried to work on a particular patch that was too high, she lost her balance and crashed against Peridot’s back. But the latter didn’t bite the stone wall because Lapis grabbed her waist steady.

  
  


And the world stopped somehow.

  
  


It seemed like Lapis finally noticed how close they got. 

Neither said a word.

  
  


The hand on her waist felt like it was burning her, but she did nothing to move it. Instead, Peridot focused on Lapis’s hitched breaths. Her small puffs of air sometimes hitting her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

  
  


Peridot was going to faint.

  
  


Lapis finally retreated her hand, but painfully slow. Even her fingertips lingered a second too long. She felt the blue haired girl taking a few steps back and she turned around to apologize… Not exactly sure of what, but something.

  
  


And it turned out to be a mistake because she was still too close and now they were staring at each other. 

  
  


Peridot took this time to detail her face. Her almond eyes, lips that opened ever so slightly. Her cheekbones and her gorgeous blue eyes shifting to stare back at her.

  
  


Lapis was doing the same, but her thoughts raced as she noticed the smaller girl biting her lower lip subconsciously. Not knowing what she was doing, her hand moved on its own and ghostly cupped Peridot’s face. But she stopped right there, almost touching her skin but not yet. 

  
  


Peridot chocked on her own breath, her legs threatening to give up but she supported herself with the immediate wall behind her. This gave more distance between Lapis’s hand and her face.

  
  


With a long sigh and suppressing her wishes, her fingers took their chance to fix a few wild strands of hair that laid on Peridot’s forehead. The path ended behind her ear before she walked away, leaving the smaller girl all hot and bothered.

  
  


“You know, Peridot” she said with her back towards her “Sometime I would like to paint you”

  
  


There was something in her voice that made Peridot even more nervous. But she couldn’t see Lapis’s face so she was left to think she imagined it.

  
  


She didn’t answer, forgetting how to speak as she gulped down and took deep breaths trying to cool herself. 

  
  


But her silence was enough of an answer for Lapis. Not like she could see her, but a wide grin stood on the girl’s face.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It came to this.

  
  


Lapis was beginning to be a regular in their lifes, and they were okay with it. One more than the other, of course.

  
  


The taller girl was flapping her wings furiously as she carried Amethyst with one hand only. For a normal person, this would have ended in someone loosing their arm probably. 

  
  


But Lapis knew the truth. That ever since fulfilling their contracts, their souls were no longer in her original body but dwelt inside their soul gems. 

  
  


_ Kyubey filled her in saying that the current bodies they inhabited were created with a lot more strength. Cynically, deadpanned. _

  
  


_ The demon fur ball dared to say that they never lied, but magical girls never asked. Accordingly, her partner by that time told Kyubey that it was lying by omission.  _

  
  


_ “Well, your wish always gets granted at the end. And this body restricts your pain, isn’t it more useful? Why do humans always get upset about this? You seem very attached to your humans bodies and it’s not like there is a change to notice” _

  
  


_ Since then, they really weren’t in good terms. _

  
  


“Alright Blue, launch me over there!” she did as told and Amethyst fell on the floor crushing the minions on the spot. But they kept multiplying by each hit “Godammit-“

  
  


She scanned below to find Peridot, but she was nowhere to be seen “Peridot?!”, she called out for the girl with distress evident in her voice “Amethyst, have you seen Peridot?!”

  
  


“Not really” she lashed her whip all around her, furiously wiping the place without breaking into a sweat. 

  
  


Lapis abandoned her position and started straining her power even more as she searched for the blonde girl.

  
  


“Lapis, wait!” But she didn’t listen for her. 

  
  


As she made her way towards the center, she noticed scrapes of metal here and there. So she followed the path and “PERIDOT! NO-“

  
  


Peridot was floating on an enormous square of metal which she jumped a mere inches away from the witch’s familiar. She landed on the ground safely but her improvised weapon crashed against the enemy and both exploded, giving an end to the fight. 

  
  


But pieces of the real metal flew everywhere and Lapis was quick to put herself between the wall of fire and Peridot, gathering a protective shield of dense water that caught every hazardous piece.

  
  


With the labyrinth dissipating around them, she sighed and kneeled on the floor unceremoniously throwing the away her shield.

  
  


“Lapis… your soul gem is-“

  
  


“Peridot you need to stop doing that” she harshly stood up and turned around to glare at the small girl still on the floor “You are going to kill yourself, what do you think you are doing?! What kind of hero complex- What about the people that care about you?!  _ What about m-“ _ she swallowed her words, and watched as Peridot looked scared and worried at her. 

  
  


She noticed that her wings were in place, frozen corners and threatening. She looked at them and sighed, wiping a few tears on the corner of her eyes.

  
  


Slowly, Peridot got up and walked towards the girl saying her name slowly. On her tiny hand laid a grief seed left by a witch they hunted before. 

  
  


Peridot grabbed her hand and guided Lapis to sit down before dropping it. The blue haired girl closed her eyes and summoned the small egg that carried her soul on her hand, her magical clothes disappearing the same instant. 

  
  


With a clink, the grief seed tapped Lapis’s tarnished soul geam and like a magnet, got rid of the dark stains. Her soul gem light up with its beautiful blue once again.

  
  


This process bathed the magical girl in relief and some sort of contentment. But Lapis’s aftertaste left her feeling sick. 

  
  


She stared back at her green eyes dimmed with worry “We are okay” she whispered, but more to reassure herself than the girl in front of her.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“You BOTH need to stop being reckless little shits” she said them between mouthfuls of food “If you wanna die, piss off. I dun wanna see it, there is so much I can take”

  
  


“Amethyst stop being ridiculous, we were fine”

  
  


“No you were not!” She frowned and accusingly pointed at Peridot with her index “You piece of shit went off alone to fight the familiar-“

  
  


Peridot sighed exasperated “As I said before, the minions kept multiplying, I thought we had to eliminate the leader-“

  
  


“And YOU-“ she then pointed at Lapis who seemed unfazed by the whole ordeal “What kind of stunt was that? Your soul gem was nearly black back then-“

  
  


“And then what?” the blue haired girl finally faced Amethyst’s quarrel. A big shadow hung on her face.

  
  


“Well, I don’t know but I don’t wanna figure it out” Amethyst crossed her arms, scornful face on before she continued eating the rest of the food.

  
  


Sensing what was going down, Peridot tried to reach the taller girl “Lapis-“

  
  


“Well, you will have to someday” and silence broke between them. A heavy tension hanging in the air, dense and ready to be cut by knife.

  
  


Amethyst glared back at the blue haired girl and Peridot has never seen her so serious before.

  
  


After a long fight of stares, she excused herself leaving Lapis and Peridot alone.

  
  


The taller girl stood up “I will take my leave now-“

  
  


“Wait!”

  
  


With Peridot’s request taken her by surprise, her eyes opened wide and fondly looked at the smaller girl. With a quick glance she noticed that her hand was locked with hers hanging between them.

  
  


Peridot seemed nervous seemingly rehearsing what was about to say, and Lapis waited patiently for her.

  
  


With only one word, Lapis’s whole body lit on fire.

  
  


“Stay” she pleaded.

  
  


And as much as she wanted to relent, “I can’t…”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


She never stayed.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Until one night she did.

  
  


It was a particular night, celebrating the last weeks of vacation before Peridot headed to college again. The news suited wrong in Lapis, because they would hardly see each other now. 

  
  


And because Peridot going to college was impossible. 

  
  


As much as she wanted to shake her shoulders and scream that they should run away together, anywhere she wanted. Enjoy whatever life they had left before…

  
  


Before…

  
  


She couldn’t say it. 

  
  


Not when Peridot was so happy, even when fighting witches and familiars, and minions and being a hero with her stupid anime lenses, and frilly shorts.

  
  


There’s no way she could destroy Peridot’s hopes after her wish granted her limbs backc doing what she loved.

  
  


It was a cold and hard destiny. 

  
  


“-rth at Blue!” Amethyst’s voice snapped her out of it, with a vodka bottle swinging in the air “Are you that light, really?” she was drunk, but she acted as herself. Except that laughed too much and she became too touchy, hugging Lapis and saying things like “Blue, you are not the face I look when I’m thinking of fun but yanno, I love you so much. I’m gonna miss ya”

  
  


“I’m not going anywhere…” she tried to peel the drunk girl out of her, with no avail.

  
  


“Yeah right, I bet I won’t see you as much now that Peri-“

  
  


The sound of something crashing on the floor interrupted whatever she was going to say.

  
  


“I’m okay” came a nasal voice from the kitchen, and Amethyst dropped her arms from around Lapis.

  
  


Amethyst grinned as the latter girl ran towards the kitchen.

  
  


Peridot was also very tipsy, she was having a hard time carrying their glasses to the sink. 

  
  


She nearly threw the knife on the trash instead of the orange peels. 

  
  


The smaller girl didn’t seem to notice her arriving to where she was, and a soft hiccup left her lips.

  
  


Frozen in the spot, she realized that Peridot was crying. Was it in happiness? Was she sad? Overjoyed, maybe?

  
  


Slowly making her way towards her, she made sure of calling her name softly so she didn’t startle her. With her hand, she fixed strands of her hair behind her ear and Peridot turned to look at her “Lapis?” 

  
  


The tears in her eyes dimmed her eyesight even more, as she dropped her glasses somewhere. Lapis smiled and took steps closer, her hands now behind Peridot’s neck and playing with her short here “What is it?”

  
  


“It’s nothing” she sniffed loudly and Lapis snorted.

  
  


“You can tell me, nerd”

  
  


Peridot hugged her. Her nose just above her chest as she sobbed lightly. Lapis was stunned, but hugged her back after a few seconds of recollecting herself.

  
  


Fondling with her hair, she was certain that Peridot could listen to her heartbeats. But she didn’t care.

  
  


“Lazuli, I’m going to miss you” she retreated a little and stared up at the other girl. She looked scared.

  
  


“Peridot, I-“ with her thumbs, she cleaned her tears before cupping her beautiful face. She herself could feel tears gathering in her eyes. 

  
  


She couldn’t say it back.

  
  


Instead, she kissed her forehead and rested her lips there afraid of this moment’s end.

  
  


“Stay”, she whispered. Her voice fragile, almost passing unheard.

  
  


And she did.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ She looked at her friend. Or whatever was supposed to be her.  _

  
  


_ Lapis was crying intensely, screaming and slashing and everything. _

  
  


_ This was their real destiny. _

  
  


_ Withour remorse, she crashed every frane that hung with pictures of a tall lady with long, curly and pink hair.  _

  
  


_ She was beautiful. _

  
  


_ And she recognized her as Rose, the woman Pearl loved and who she gave her wish to.  _

  
  


_ Rose, the lady that couldn’t bear a child, and the woman that Pearl helped selflessly.  _

  
  


_ The same woman who died without thinking twice of her friend. _

  
  


_ The reason Pearl turned into a witch. _

  
  


_ Her heart was broken and Lapis was sure that nothing in the world could repair it.  _

  
  


_ She has lost her best friend, and she won’t even have a body to mourn her. _

  
  


_ Lapis had to kill Pearl. _

  
  


_ She couldn’t. _

  
  


_ But she had to… _

  
  


_ She had… _

  
  


_ And with read eyes from crying them out, and a loud howl of pain and loss, she pierced through the witch’s naked heart.  _

  
  


_ No. _

  
  


_ It wasn’t just a witch. _

  
  


_ It was Pearl.  _

  
  


_ This was the truth of the magical girls. _

  
  


_ And someday, Lapis will become a witch too. She will knowingly pass her days watching her soul gem turn charcoal. _

  
  


_ As the labyrinth around her disappeared, and so did Pearl, she kneeled on the ground and hit the floor with her fists. _

  
  


_ She cried, screamed, hit the floor until nasty bruised opened wounds on her skin. _

  
  


_ She was uncontrollable.  _

  
  


_ She was never felt this grief before.  _

  
  


_ As she felt her whole body shake with grief, leaving her coughing and spitting, a big hand strangled her neck, and her head hit the wall hard with a dry sound. _

  
  


_ She strained her eyes to see whoever was trying to kill her and recognized her.  _

  
  


_ “So this is the real you” her voice spilled like venom “You are a witch, a spawn of the demon. I should have known” she laughed.  _

  
  


_ Her voice was muffled by the throbbing inside Lapis’s skull. _

  
  


_ “You should die, you are what is wrong in this world” she stared disappointingly at Lapis’s attempts of clinging to life. Hitting her shoulders, arms, kicking everywhere she could. But the burn in her throat got even worse. _

  
  


_ Her own girlfriend was going to kill her, as she called her a witch.  _

  
  


_ Lapis wanted to laugh. Maybe this was the best death she could get. _

  
  


_ With her last breath, she finally noticed a mark on Jasper’s neck. It was the kiss of a witch. _

  
  


_ And with the last bits of the labyrinth, the rune was gone. _

  
  


_ She shut her eyes, giving up. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Lapis woke up showered in her own sweat.

  
  


Her throat burned, certainly from screaming while she was asleep. Alas, a normal night for her.

  
  


But when she finally focused her sight, Peridot’s face stared down at her and she looked worried to death.

  
  


Lapis was not fond of sleepovers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what they say: after hitting the bottom of the barrel, the only way is up... Right?


	6. The Garden

Lapis didn’t want to turn on the lights. She didn’t want Peridot to look at her like this.

  
  


The smaller girl laid face up and played with Lapis’ hair as her head rested on Peridot’s chest. 

  
  


The room was quiet, aside from their mingled breathing. 

  
  


She focused on the loud heartbeat, closing her eyes and feeling at peace before she answered Peridot’s question “She was my girlfriend, some time before. But we weren’t good to each other and… Things got even nastier after Pearl’s…. Accident”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ “I’m surprised you are still with her, she’s too brute and… angry all the time” _

  
  


_ Lapis snorted “I don’t know myself” _

  
  


_ Pearl looked at her accusingly. _

  
  


_ “I guess I don’t want to be alone” she sighed and looked elsewhere avoiding Pearl’s glare. _

  
  


_ “So you would rather survive in an unhealthy relationship than learning to be alone” she could hear the scorn in her voice “I don’t want to say ‘I told you so’ to a corpse, Lapis” _

  
  


_ Her last statement was bathed in worry, and fear. _

  
  


_ She stared at her and tried to change the subject, and Pearl reluctantly did the same. _

  
  


_ Lapis didn’t imagined then that she had to learn to be alone, the hard and unforgiving way. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


She didn’t know when she fell asleep again. But she woke up with her head aching and heavy.

  
  


She patted the place where Peridot’s body should have been, and could still feel her warmth. Lapis smiled and went back to sleep.

  
  


This time, she didn’t have any nightmares.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Peridot was clutching the item in her sweaty palms. Her whole face was burning, but she didn’t make it this far to give up now.

  
  


With her hand, she hit her cheek twice and stood in front of the door with conviction. She knocked on the door before her.

  
  


And seconds later, Lapis Lazuli opened the door of her house looking surprised and flushed at the sight that met her.

  
  


But Peridot was fixated on something else. 

  
  


Lapis was wearing comfy clothes, a tank top and loose shorts. But lines and brushes of paint covered her arms, legs and neck. Some of it even got on her face. 

  
  


Her eyes traveled down the path of artwork on the girl’s dark skin and Lapis felt self conscious by her scrutinizing stare. She coughed, bringing her attention back to her face “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“ she screeched and covered her face behind the item “I just- Happy birthday, Lapis” she finally found it in herself to deliver the bouquet.

  
  


Although she didn’t mean to push Lapis with it. This was not going well.

  
  


Lapis detailed the white roses and recognized the forget-me-not patch. She gingerly took the bouquet and felt her heart fluttering.

  
  


“Do you want to… step inside?” she smiled sideways at Peridot, offering her hand.

  
  


Thr blonde girl grabbed her hand and followed inside, closing the door behind her.

  
  


“Peridot, the flowers are too beautiful. You didn’t have to…”

  
  


“I wanted to, though! Please accept them!”

  
  


Lapis put them on the counter with a short and sweet laugh, looking at Peridot as she sat on the couch “Of course”

  
  


She occupied herself by gathering two glasses and filling them with water, and noticed Peridot’s eyes burning her skin. 

  
  


Laying her glass on the coffee table, she answered her unspoken question “I was in the middle of painting myself”

  
  


“Ah, sorry I interrupted-“

  
  


“No its okay! I love having you here, Peridot” she sat next to her, their shoulders bumping and Lapis enjoyed Peridot’s nervous reaction. She was getting good at pushing the right buttons and making the other girl a flustered mess “Do you want me to show you?”

  
  


“Of course” she answered naively and Lapis hid her mischievous grin behind her hand “Where is it?”

  
  


She gazed back at Peridot “Are you sure?” The girl in question nodded, and Lapis grabbed her hand “Follow me” they got up together, leaving the living room.

  
  


Making their way upstairs, Peridot suddenly realized that maybe this wasn’t… a good idea. The back of her neck got sweaty and she felt her ears heating up and now… Yes, she didn’t imagine it. They were entering Lapis’s bedroom right now.

  
  


Inside there was a mess of newspapers thrown everywhere, paints and brushes scattered on it.

  
  


With a weak tug, she guided Peridot to sit down on the floor and Lapis kneeled before her.

  
  


“This is something I like to do to relax on particular days” like her birthday. But she didn’t say. Peridot knew this anyway “I literally paint myself, see?” her finger traced a few lines on her bicep.

  
  


“It sounds like a lot of fun, I will try it sometime” Peridot watched stargazed at the details already done there. Her nervousness already forgotten. The only thought inside was that Lapis was amazing at what she did. She wondered why she hasn’t begun to dedicate her life to it. She was too good.

  
  


But her train of thought crashed as she registered what Lapis said “Why not right now?” 

  
  


Her eyes showed a glint of amusement, seeing Peridot turn into a cherry “I-I don’t think…”, the poor girl was left stuttered and she could figuratively feel smoke rising from her head “From my perspective, it would only be a waste of paint and-“

  
  


Lapis snorted “I don’t see that happening, but what if…” her hand reached for a clean brush and tickled Peridot’s nose with it “What If I painted you?” 

  
  


Her nose twitched and tried hard not to sneeze. Surprisingly, ahe succeeded. 

  
  


She taller girl watched her face and laughed. 

  
  


This only made Peridot fall even more for the girl, as she looked so beautiful like this. She forgot whatever she was supposed to answer.

  
  


Between her laughter, she brought her words out “It’s okay, Peridot. You don’t have to if you don’t-“

  
  


“I-I want to” 

  
  


That made Lapis stop and stare at the girl with furrowed eyebrows “Oh”

  
  


Absentmindedly, Lapis fixed Peridot’s hair behind her ear.

  
  


“Alright”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Peridot closed her eyes and sighed as Lapis painted of her naked back. She could feel the brush strands tickling her skin. Sometimes, her back arched reacting to it and she heard Lapis muffling a small snicker.

  
  


With her hand, she covered her chest with her shirt but this only made her acknowledge her heart hammering against her ribcage.

  
  


She bit her lip as Lapis reached a certain spot in the small of her back. 

  
  


Peridot wanted to believe that Lapis was teasing her, and was probably the case but everytime she slightly turned her head she watched the painter’s face completely lost in focus. 

  
  


Her eyebrows knit together when she was passionately working and this observation sent wonders down Peridot’s body.

  
  


Everytime she asked about whatever she was doing, she got pinched above the elbow and whined about it.

  
  


Actually, everytime Peridot opened her mouth to say even the smallest thing got her this reaction. So in conclusion, Lapis wasn’t fond of talking when she was painting.

  
  


Sometimes she noticed Lapis’s hand right beside her thigh and felt her breath. She guessed that she was working on details, surrendering to a minimal distance between them. 

  
  


And Peridot didn’t want her to stop. 

  
  


The room around her, even the world around her disappeared and it was only Lapis and herself. 

  
  


But all good things come to an end, so after a few loose minutes of no longer feeling the brush on her skin, she deduced that it was done. Except that Lapis hasn’t said a word.

  
  


“Lapis?” she whispered. The sound of her own voice feeling like an intruder in their extended silence.

  
  


She hummed in response. 

  
  


Peridot wanted to ask about the painting but a pair of lips gracing her shoulder made her stop. She instead fixed her glasses and bit her lip.

  
  


Again, Lapis kissed the same spot lingering for a few seconds before finally filling in the silence “It’s done”

  
  


“Ah” Peridot said, disappointment gnawing inside her as she felt Lapis getting away from her. Ahe finally turned around, carefully grabbing the shirt that covered her chest and found the artist avoiding her eyes with a bright blush creeping her face.

  
  


What was she supposed to do now? She wanted to say the most appropriate thing, but was afraid that she could break the mood with any misfit word.

  
  


Gathering all the courage she had, and borrowing some, she blurted her first thought “W-What about the front?”

  
  


Peridot immediately covered her mouth with both hands and Lapis jumped at her words. This definitely got her to look back at the shorter girl with widened eyes.

  
  


They stared at each other, the air feeling hot and heavy.

  
  


And this could have been a wrong thing to do, frowned upon. But they both surely didn’t feel like it “A-Are you sure?”

  
  


As a definite answer, Peridot dropped the shirt and shivered by how could she felt.

  
  


Lapis couldn’t stop her eyes from traveling down and look at Peridot. She was beautiful. She wanted to start working on her, her head filling with so many ideas.

  
  


With a swift move, she found one of her brushes and moved closer. 

  
  


She noticed the slight shake on Peridot’s shoulder. She was so nervous right now, surprised of her boldness. And Lapis got an idea fueled by the heat between her legs. 

  
  


She helped Peridot on her feet and asked her to lie down on her bed. She followed her instructions without hesitation and Lapis straddled her at once.

  
  


Now she was staring down at the hot mess that was Peridot. Her short hair disheveled on the pillow and her skin red. Lapis grabbed her glasses and put them on the nightstand. 

  
  


Now she was finally able to memorize the hue of Peridot’s eyes. With her thumb, she traced the corner of her eye and slowly trailed the path ending on her shoulders.

  
  


She spotted the brush on her hand wet with green paint and without missing a beat, she started to draw a curve right in the middle of her chest making the girl gasp.

  
  


Lapis couldn’t avoid noticing her hardened nips and the wild rise of her chest. She was probably killing the smaller girl, but she was definitely going to burn herself out.

  
  


Slowly, she circled one of her small breasts with the tip of the brush and trailed down. Softly tickling her, feeling her shivers right beneath her.

  
  


A lightbulb seemed to light up right above Peridot’s face as she remembered something “Lapis, what above the work in my back?”

  
  


She couldn’t care less, honestly. But Peridot was worried about ruining Lapis beautiful work.

  
  


And as she watched the girl below her, she couldn’t take it anymore. 

  
  


She threw the brush and Peridot followed it eith her eyes. The smaller her was probably about to ask but her words got caught on her throat as Lapis was kissing her.

  
  


Her soft lips trapped Peridot’s and she cupped her face with her hands. 

  
  


The latter girl laid her hand on Lapis’s waist and closed her eyes, giving in completely. 

  
  


This felt right.

  
  


The whole ordeal felt so right, as they kissed and their lips danced blissfully, that they wondered why hasn’t this happened before. 

  
  


They could smell the fresh paint, and they were sure that the current sheets beneath them were completely ruined. But they really couldn’t care less, it was impossible.

  
  


Peridot felt one of her hands leaving her face. She started playing with Lapis’s hair and she pulled her hair when she felt the other’s fingers lifting her one of her legs “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“

  
  


Lapis shut her up with another feverish kiss, this time letting her tongue inside the other’s mouth. Peridot whimpered as she surrendered to the taller girl’s hunger. 

  
  


She didn’t even noticed at what moment Lapis stopped straddling her, and when did her legs closed around her waist. But she did notice when Lapis unintentionally rubbed one of her nips and she moaned softly.

  
  


This embarrassed the smaller girl as she ran to break the kiss and hide her face. But Lapis just hummed and kissed her hands that avoided her from looking at her.

  
  


“Hey” she whispered with her lips still against her skin “Do you want to take a shower?”

  
  


She slowly showed her face and nodded. Lapis kissed her quick and sweet before leaving her alone in the room.

  
  


Peridot knew that reflecting on the latest events was definitely bad for her own heart, but did it anyway staring at the ceiling and waiting for Lapis.

  
  


After punishing herself, Lapis came with fresh towels and guided her to the bathroom.

  
  


With another peck on her lips, she closed the door and walked away.

  
  


Peridot found herself in the mirror and noticed her blushed skin and moistened lips. Her hair was a mess and her pupils were completely dilated. 

  
  


She turned around watching her back and spotted Lapis’s artwork. It eas obviously smudged but she recognized them.

  
  


Her back was blooming with chrysanthemums of all colors.


	7. Unspoken Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *finger guns* A wild change of rating

It has come to the point where they always wake up together. Their limbs tangled and blue hair tickling the other’s nose.

  
  


Peridot was the first one to wake up, blinking various times to drive away any hint of drowsiness. Her eyes focused on the ceiling and remembering that this time they slept at Lapis’s.

  
  


She yawned, hugging the taller girl tigher and driving a blissful hum out of her lips.

  
  


With a long stretch and a few joints cracking, she kissed the back of her neck and started her day.

  
  


While she brushed her teeth, she decided that it was a pancakes kind of morning. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Lapis’s nose twitched before she even had the chance to wake up herself. It recognized the smell and in her half dreaming haze, she smiled. 

  
  


Her body turned around and hugged the pillow, which made her pout because this was definitely not her petite lover. Lapis shivered by the missing warmth but got up nonetheless. 

  
  


Breakfast was better recently made, no matter how burnt and crisp the corners got.

  
  


And Peridot could hear her lover washing herself from the kitchen. She looked at her pancakes, shrugging and declared then as good enough. At the end, they will always taste good with enough peanut butter.

  
  


Which reminded her that she had not looked up for the peanut butter. Sure, she has plenty back at home but this was Lapis’s kitchen nevertheless. She blushed at the thought, because yes. This has become her second home.

  
  


She searched around the kitchen and dreaded looking up at the high shelves, the only place left. With a low curse, she carefully propped her knee on the counter and reached it, her fingertips nearly grasping its contents. 

  
  


And when she finally got the correct container, she laughed triumphantly and closed the shelve with a fast leap to the floor. 

  
  


Before her, Lapis stood sheepishly avoiding eye contact. Peridot noticed the dark red shade on her face and her hand scratching mindlessly the back on her neck. She was biting her bottom lip.

  
  


“What?” she pushed her glasses up, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. 

  
  


Lapis coughed before answering “Nothing, I was distracted”

  
  


“Alright” she muttered, certainly not convinced. But the burning pan was waiting for her. She went back to cooking, humming as she did.

  
  


Lapis closed her eyes recollecting herself, trying to push down her intrusive thoughts but the heat pooling inside her wasn’t helping. She was definitely watching Peridot’s ass as she was stretching for the top shelves. 

  
  


She could have easily… Within reach… Just a little-

  
  


She downed a glass of water trying to cool herself down. 

  
  


It didn’t work.

  
  


They ate almost completely in silence, but it was not awkward. Or well… Peridot didn’t pick on it. But Lapis was sweating as she munched her food. 

  
  


With small chatter, breakfast was over and Peridot insisted on washing the dishes. Objectively saying that she made a mess of the kitchen, which she apologized profusely.

  
  


Lapis let her, but not entirely.

  
  


Her thoughts raced somewhere else.

  
  


She leaned on the wall, looking at Peridot as she worked and suddenly she remember that this was  _ her _ kitchen. And Peridot was a normal sight within these walls. Her loud and nasal voice bouncing around... that was her common day now. Otherwise wasn’t.

  
  


Her chest was warm, but her throat closed ever so slightly by the reminder that this was not for long. Peridot was going back to her state for college. No longer worried about either her or Amethyst because they will continue fighting alongside. 

  
  


Either way, she waved her uneasiness away and let herself loose. 

  
  


She waited for Peridot to drop a plate and before she could pick a new one, her hands grabbed her waist. 

  
  


The shorter girl yelped, and Lapis’s hand traveled up to disregard her big glasses. 

  
  


After doing so, she hugged the girl from behind, her chin resting on the girl’s shoulder “L-Lapis, I haven’t finished-“

  
  


Peridot’s breath hitched. 

  
  


The artist was currently painting on her, drawing circles and patterns on her with just two fingers. Once in a while, they teased on the rim of her shirt. 

  
  


And it made her legs wobble when Lapis started playing with the waistband on her shorts while her free hand turned off the faucet. Whatever dishes left, they will get to them later. 

  
  


“Peridot…” her voice tickled said girl’s ears. She took her sweet time, enjoying every tremble that came with Lapis’s breathing on her skin.

  
  


“Y-Yes?” her tiny hands gripped tighly the edge of the counter, her teeth worrying on her lower lip.

  
  


“...” she kissed her neck twice, her thumb right below her waistband while her other hand roamed her belly, beneath her shirt. With a long sigh, she finally said “I want to touch you”

  
  


Peridot gulped down, hard. She only nodded, not trusting her mouth to speak.

  
  


And with a third kiss on her neck, Lapis slowly drew her hand down finally meeting her lover’s underwear. Her other hand dangerously close to her breasts. But not there, yet.

  
  


Lapis retreated her hands reluctantly. With ease, she dropped Peridot’s shorts on the ground and threw them behind her, her briefs following right after. On her trail up, she kissed her thighs and the small of her back. Now freeing her lover’s upper body. 

  
  


Peridot turned around and helped her, twitching at Lapis scrutinizing her naked body. Her pupils blown and completely swallowed in lust. 

  
  


Without missing a single heartbeat, Lapis’s lips trapped Peridot’s as her hands were finally free to roam around, stopping to squeeze the smaller girl’s ass from time to time. 

  
  


A tiny sound was caught from Peridot’s mouth between their hungry kiss. And it only aroused Lapis even more. 

  
  


Breaking the kiss, she guided her lover to turn around once again and Lapis was flushed against Peridot’s naked back.

  
  


Her left hand cupped her small breast and her thumb circled around the middle. Then it became a pattern of palming her breast, trapping her nip between her fingers, and back to covering it with her whole hand.

  
  


Her mouth was busy kissing Peridot’s neck and shoulders. Sometimes biting and sucking, but her concentration was more occupied by the lower half of her lover.

  
  


Her thumb was stroking the inside of her thighs, slowly spreading her open. As she sometimes teased her, her fingers lightly traced the middle and Lapis shivered each time. Her lover was incredibly wet, for her.

  
  


Peridot was a mess right now, whimpering and her muscles tensing in want. She followed Lapis’s guidance while she disarmed the girl as she pleased. 

  
  


She let out a small cry as Lapis’s finger finally traced her slit a second before parting her lips and rubbing her clit. 

  
  


Her back arched, surrendering her weight on the taller girl’s body while her knuckles turned white by how hard she was grabbing the counter. 

  
  


Swallowing her moan, she felt her finger sliding right inside of her. Lapis’s hand released her chest and worked on softly pulling Peridot’s hair, turning her head to the side so she could force her tongue inside her mouth, adding a second finger inside of her before biting down her lip for the purpose of denying Peridot of hiding her moans.

  
  


“I want to hear you, Peridot. Please…” her hand released her hair and grabbed one of her thighs, opening her legs even more as she thrust her fingers inside of her. 

  
  


The girl nodded, her head hung low as her tongue tangled between cries and moans. 

  
  


Lapis started working her fingers along her slit, with Peridot’s hips jerking forward following her hand. 

  
  


Her hand fastened its pace, drowning with each sound that came out of Peridot’s parted lips. The girl was drooling and tears caught in the corners of her eyes. She was so close…

  
  


She started pouncing inside of her, with a third addition. Her other hand now back to squeezing her breasts, thumbing her nipples.

  
  


“L-Lapis, I-“ And then she came, hard, and Lapis drove her orgasm with her fingers inside of her. 

  
  


A small cry ran off her lips. Her entire body shaken and going limp, nearly falling on the floor but Lapis hugged her tight.

  
  


She unceremoniously wiped her fingers on her own shirt and softly turned Peridot around. 

  
  


Lapid kissed her lips, slow and sweet. She soothed her back in the middle of her afterglow. Peridot drapped her arms and legs around her lover, and this way she was carried to the bedroom.

  
  


As she dropped her lover on the bed, Lapis watched her naked self. She loved Peridot. She has fallen hard.

  
  


The smaller girl recoiled with cold, looking at Lapis and silently begging her to join in. 

  
  


Of course she pleased her.

  
  


But at the time her body touched the sheets pretending to spoon her, Peridot towered her. 

  
  


Lapis gasped, her hips straddled by her lover. Looking up at her beauty and disheveled hair. Her big green eyes confident and in a matter of seconds it dawned on Lapis what she was intending to do.

  
  


Peridot was quick with her fingers, back on her feet as she disregarded Lapis’s pants and briefs.

  
  


Suddenly, the taller girl felt self conscious. She sat up and grabbed Peridot’s wrist “Peri?” 

  
  


The girl is question was becoming even more red by the second, which didn’t make sense given their current positions.

  
  


It wasn’t until Lapis acknowledged the burn between her legs that it settled it. She was staring at her legs, or more likely.. at her crotch. Lapis still carried her arousal in the open. And she was so wet. By the time, she was leaving behind a damp spot on the mattress. 

  
  


She was so focused on Peridot that her mind pushed her own fire aside. 

  
  


“P-Peridot?” She crossed her legs, confused and anxious “Are you okay?” 

  
  


She didn’t meet her eyes, instead looking to the side “You are so beautiful…” she whispered becoming a nervous wreck.

  
  


Lapis scratched the back on her neck. She was becoming hotter, blushing with her heart on her throat threatening to jump out. 

  
  


“A-And, to think that… If it wasn’t for my contract…”  _ She wouldn’t be able to touch her, to strip her down and feel her, and  _ “I wouldn’t have this…” Lapis was stunned, even more confused “I meet you, and I’m certainly glad I have become a magical girl. For many reasons, and for this”

  
  


She met her blue eyes, and Lapis noticed that she was crying. It broke her heart because if it were for her, she wouldn’t ever wanted for Peridot to become  _ this. _

  
  


Without explaining her reasons, Lapis began sobbing uncontrollably.

  
  


“W-What?! Did I say something wrong?” She did. But Peridot was so worried, and so naive. Her hands waving wildly as she tried to reassure her lover.

  
  


Lapis closed their distance with a messy kiss, between sobs and tears falling on their lips. Peridot’s fingers tangled on her blue hair, kissing back.

  
  


The taller girl guided her to sit on her lap, but she refused and broke the kiss “Its my turn”

  
  


Peridot was back on her feet, slowly kneeling in front of Lapis who was still crying. Not as much, but her heart still felt so heavy.

  
  


“Is this okay?” 

  
  


She nodded.

  
  


Peridot kissed her knees and her hands guided Lapis’s legs as she dragged herself, sitting right on the edge of the bed, leaving herself spread open in front of her lover. 

  
  


By the time Peridot kissed between her legs, Lapis was sobbing again. 

  
  


“I-I’m sorry! Are you hur-“

  
  


“No!” she cried out, her mouth covered behind her hand “I’m just… So happy right now, I’m sorry…”

  
  


Peridot tilted her head unconvinced “Lapis, are you sure?” 

  
  


Again, she nodded. 

  
  


The girl between her legs waited for a few seconds, ready to back away. But Lapis smiled in reassurance, her hand now fixing Peridot’s hair behind her ear.

  
  


And she kissed her again, making her long legs tremble. 

  
  


She saw as Peridot closed her eyes and licked experimentally along her slit eliciting a moan from her lips. 

  
  


Lapis was trying to bite down her sobs, but her emotions were a mess right now. Taking a deep breath, she downed down to hiccups and then to nothing. She was okay.

  
  


And Peridot’s tongue sliding inside on her was even better. She threw her head back as her lover worked between her legs. 

  
  


She parted her lips with one hand and started slowly sucking on her clit, the tip of tongue sometimes nipping at her. 

  
  


With a single swipe of her tongue, Lapis entire body tingled in pleasure her back arching and responding accordingly. 

  
  


She didn’t know when it happened, but her hand was tangled in the other’s blonde hair as she pounced inside with just her tongue. 

  
  


With her free hand, she tapped her own chest. Her nipples were painfully erect and demanded the same attention, so she reciprocated beneath her shirt. With her fingertips she repeated Peridot’s fast licks. The exact same pattern.

  
  


But she couldn’t do it for so long, because she was back to crying. 

  
  


She tried to wipe away her tears, staring down at Peridot as she started sucking at her hips, her fingers taking her place inside of her. She didn’t know that the small girl was a big of leaving hickeys. She noted on that for another time.

  
  


And honestly, Lapis felt that she was close already. But before, she pulled Peridot away and took her shirt away.

  
  


The smaller girl looked confused, but followed suit when Lapis grabbed her wrists and helped her on the bed. 

  
  


She was lying on the bed with Peridot above her, and she slowly slid her fingers between her lover’s legs. 

  
  


The blonde was about to argue, but stopped as Lapis teased her clitoris relentlessly. Any cry from either of them was drown in the middle of their desperate kiss.

  
  


It was more teeth than tongue, seeming than Lapis’s focus was on pouncing inside Peridot and humping against Peridot’s thigh. 

  
  


She was out of herself, and nearly screamed when Peridot’s hand started grabbing her boobs. 

  
  


Their legs were trembling madly and the vibrations only made Lapis more aroused because she felt them right on her crotch as she was still rubbing herself on Peridot’s leg.

  
  


And she started sobbing again, breaking the kiss with their noses bumping as they rode their orgasms together. 

  
  


She felt Peridot spilling on her hand and it only drove her mad, tightening her clasp around Peridot’s leg while her vision was filling with stars.

  
  


As Peridot recollected herself, she dropped her weight on Lapis and noticed that she was entirely shaking from head to toe. her eyes widened as she noticed that her lover was covering her faces with her hands, but the tears still streamed down 

  
  


“L-Lapis, are you hurt?” 

  
  


No response, only hiccups and small cries. 

  
  


“What is it?” 

  
  


She was getting more worried by the second.

  
  


Until she couldn’t take anymore and pulled her hands away from her face. And Lapis was smiling, her eyes shut tight but she was in pain still, somehow.

  
  
  


She slowly opened her eyes and hugged Peridot close to her, her sobs becoming more evident and loud. 

  
  


The blonde didn’t know what do to.

  
  


She started playing with her blue hair and soothing her back with her other hand, drawing a few words on her.

  
  


And Lapis was trying to deduce whatever she was trying to say, her crying not helping as it shook her entire body and ruined the message each time.

  
  
  


But as she finally was getting somewhere, noticing a few letters here and there and focusing on the proper arrangement, she finally calmed down.

  
  


Before she completely discovered the hidden message, she fell asleep between Peridot’s arms.


	8. Somehow It Makes Sense

_ Lapis was leaving a trail on her lover, delivering with her eyes closed and dried tears on the corners. She was beautiful, and wherever her lips graced, she left Peridot’s skin burning. _

  
  


_ This only made Peridot with a light head, nearly fainting thanks to the afterglow of a long night of making love to each other and her sore limbs. _

  
  


_ It also had to do with how Lapis kept staring at her whenever those blue orbs became visible behind a half lided and partly drunken state. _

  
  


_ Drunk in admiration and so much  _ love,  _ she couldn’t take it anymore. Her heart was about to burst inside her ribcage while Lapis kissed her thighs, high on her hips, her belly, right between her breasts, on her collarbone and her neck, a long sigh before meeting her lips for a second and leaving to set another burning kiss on the tip of her nose, on her eyelids and settling on her forehead. _

  
  


_ Lapis then hugged her tight, close and warm. And she let heraelf be carried away, her legs hanging around the taller’s waist as they kissed inside the bathroom.  _

  
  


_ Was it Peridot’s bathroom? Or where they at Lapis’s house? _

  
  


_ It didn’t matter.  _

  
  


_ They felt safe and sound, and loved.  _

  
  


All that mattered was that they were having the same dream.

  
  


With a shattered sigh, Peridot woke up. Unwillingly, she started her day. 

  
  


While she brushed her teeth and washed the sand out of her eyes, she stared at the clock on the wall. 

  
  


She still had 5 hours until her night clases. Time for a stroll.

  
  


She summoned her soul gem back in its egg shell form to look for any concerning magic around, slowly making her way out of the campus and leaving everyone behind. Hidding the egg inside her sleeve, Peridot was letting the temperature of the soul gem guide her to where she was supposed to go.

  
  


She hummed a song while the sun gave way for the moon, painting the skies and retrieving its light for the day. But she was fine, relying on the soft green glow of her soul gem now in plain sight on her palm while she padded inside a near construction site.

  
  


She was busier remembering the rhythm and composition of the song, than paying attention to the solitude of the place. Its shadows swallowing her, until she realized how far she has gone.

  
  


And she wouldn’t get to this acknowledgment if it weren’t for the fast blink of the only light source she suddenly had. There was no doubt, it was reacting harshly and this only meant that a witch was close by. Really close by.

  
  


In a flash of light that momentarily shown the whole place, Peridot was wearing her magic clothes. With her visor letting her watch carefully, she finally saw the entrance to the labyrinth. 

  
  


“Right” she said, to no one in particular “I suppose this is it…”

  
  


Peridot shifted her weight in her foot, nervousness gnawing inside her. Somehow, this felt wrong. Something was telling her that she shouldn’t be here, small and alone. 

  
  


But this was just another witch, right? Nothing to be worried about. Peridot has been able to take down a few familiars and two witches on her own. This was fine, nothing the great Peridot couldn’t take down by herself.

  
  


No, this was completely  _ fine. _ She wasn’t just Peridot, “I’m a magical girl after all” she was small and clever. Resourceful.

  
  


Peridot started fidgeting with the rin of her gloves and took one step towards the labyrinth. She took a depo breath and became confident as her stance turned wide and proud, her chest out and a tight grin on her face. 

  
  


“Get ready clod!” she waved her first in the air and started walking towards the threat.

  
  


“Woa, stop there tiny” someone grabbed her shoulders from behind and easily lifted her from the ground.

  
  


“Wha- Release at once! Do you know who I am?!” Peridot cried out, her voice louder than ever as her body broke into a mess of limbs trying to free herself.

  
  


“Yeah, you are Peridot from engineering” they said with a hint of humor on their voice, slowly letting her touch the ground again.

  
  


She turned around and an iron spear materialized from thin air “Bismuth, what do you think you are doing?!” she glared at her.

  
  


“Well, I could say that the same stuff you are doing” her index finger tapped at the rainbow soul gem stuck in her chest.

  
  


It finally hit Peridot. The tall girl was wearing fancier clothes than she had ever seem on her with an enormous hammer swinging loosely on her free hand “You are a magical girl?”

  
  


Bismuth squinted her eyes in amusement “What do you think?”

  
  


“Right” 

  
  


With a light chuckle, the tall girl asked her “Were you really going in there alone?”

  
  


“What do you mean? It’s just a witch, I have taken them all on my own before” Peridot followed with her eyes as the other girl walked, stopping close to the door. But Peridot wouldn’t really call it a door… it was more like a portal, with a big and nasty rune on it. The mark of a witch.

  
  


So yeah, she would prefer calling it that.

  
  


Bismuth studied the portal intently, uneasiness downing on both magical girls “Sorry to bring the bad forecast, tiny” her eyes fell on Peridot “This isn’t  _ just _ another witch”

  
  


“That’s ridiculous” still, Peridot gulped down. The portal seemed to  _ twitch _ by the deduction. Somehow growing wider, but always silent.

  
  


Yes, silent. Quiet. Waiting. 

  
  


“But… it is odd that a witch will stand here in an abandoned construction site. Which, particularly, had been long forgotten…”

  
  


“And no one is close by, not immediately” Bismuth crossed her arms, eyes closed in thought.

  
  


Peridot coughed, a shiver running down her body but she was not one to back down “Anyway, it’s still a witch and as magical girls, we can easily take it down”

  
  


The small girl was staring flabbergasted as Bismuth nearly lost her balance. She was laughing loudly and her hand rested on her forehead. She talked between her wheezing “I like you Peridot, you are feisty!” 

  
  


She tried to regain her calm, to no avail. Everytime she looked at Peridot, she found her confused face and it only fueled her laughter.

  
  


Completely irritated and annoyance clearly shown on her face, Peridot groaned and walked straight into the door-portal.

  
  


“Wha- Wait!” 

  
  


Bismuth ran after her, closing her eyes as a blinding light made her stop in her tracks. Fluttering her eyes open, she finally detailed the labyrinth.

  
  


It was startling white, the only things that bothered there were both Peridot and Bismuth standing with their mouths agape. Somehow, the labyrinth was… a beautiful sight. In a terrifying way.

  
  


The familiars were orderly lined, a straight path ahead. They were guiding them, to the middle. Where their boss probably rested. 

  
  


“This witch feels confident” for a reason, this annoyed Bismuth. Peridot just panned around sensing the scraps of metal ready to answer her. The metallic sound of her power’s call was the only thing she could hear. 

  
  


Aside from that, the labyrinth rested in a deafening silence. 

  
  


The tall girl adopted a fighting stance, anxiously moving around “Man, this is creeping me out”

  
  


They could feel eyes boring on their necks, but nothing was happening. 

  
  


“Wait a second-“

  
  


Peridot couldn’t hear the next words. She blacked out. 

  
  


Or something like it.

  
  


She felt trapped, her soul constricted and  _ so cold… _

  
  


But she couldn’t move. She couldn’t see, she couldn’t  _ feel… _

  
  


Until she felt  _ everything _ at once. 

  
  


She came back, screaming to the top of her lungs. As her vision finally fixed, she noticed something foreign, sharp and cold sinking in her guts. 

  
  


Peridot numbly watched as Bismuth retrieved her weapon out of her, coughing out blood “Wha-“

  
  


The girl before her was stripped out of her colors. She stood in front of Peridot as a white pillar. Even her soul gem got her own rainbow colors stolen. 

  
  


She watched herself, noticing that the only color on her was that of her own red blood gushing out of her quickly recovering wound. 

  
  


Without missing a heartbeat, Peridot called out and assembled fast a silver net that pinned the other magical girl down.

  
  


Whatever this was, it wasn’t Bismuth. 

  
  


But it  _ was _ her. The rune on her neck told Peridot the truth, that this was another trick from the white witch. She was trapping Bismuth’s mind and controlling her body at her will. Just like she tried to do with Peridot.

  
  


As she came upon the realization, the trapped magical girl fumbled beneath her restraint. Her big arms worked aimlessly and earned a few slashes from the sharp edges of the scraps of metal, this seemed to help her regain her consciousness slowly as more wounds gathered on her skin.

  
  


This determined two things for Peridot: 

  
  


The first was that the white witch only let their minds free whenever pain was present.

  
  


And the second unforgiving thruth was that magical girls healed their wounds fast, meaning that it was a matter of seconds before they lost themselves again.

  
  


With this, Peridot already felt herself drifting away and with a quick idea, she gathered a sharp weapon to pierce her arm. 

  
  


She cried out, letting the blade aggravate her wound, and ran.

  
  


Peridot ran.

  
  


Pain unnerving her, trailing from the open wound. But as always, it was bearable. One of the joys of being a magical girl.

  
  


And before she could reach the diamond shaped knob, right as her fingertips ghostly touched it.

  
  


Bismuth pinned her down. Her big hands pushing down, her body straddling Peridot as her face hit the ground hard  **_“No!”_ **

  
  


She couldn’t die like this. There was no way. 

  
  


She was Peridot, a magical girl. And she was small and so clever, resourceful. 

  
  


Bismuth teared the improvised knife out of her arm, the wound already closing and itching. 

  
  


She was Peridot. Smart, and  _ loved. _

  
  


The door in front of her opened, revealing at last the tall silhouette of the with reigning this labyrinth. And even in its elongated and bizarre form, far from a humanoid. She was smiling. 

  
  


Was she supposed to never make Lapis smile again? Were their goodbyes suitable? 

  
  


Her hand hung high, trying to reach the witch. But it was impossible. Bismuth hand was wide enough to cover her scalp and pin her head down. 

  
  


Teary eyed, she glared at the witch as her colors drained.

  
  


And as a last resort, a small pull of metal tickled at her side. A soft buzz, a prayer.

  
  


With her last and shattered breath, she used her powers. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The last thing she saw was the small makeshift knife flying towards what she supposed was the witch’s head. 

  
  


And the last thing she felt, was Bismuth going numb above her. 

  
  


Peridot’s small body gave out beneath the other’s weight.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The place was quiet and the night extremely cold. 

  
  


Two bodies lied on the granite floor, unmoving.

  
  


A phone began to ring inside the smaller girl’s hoodie. 

  
  


After three failed attempts, it was replaced with quick sounds corresponding to message notifications.

  
  


——

_ Ame: so hear me out Dot, this is  _ no bueno

_ Ame: r u ther? _

_ Ame: there*  _

  
  
  
  


_ Ame: dot its bout your girlfriend _

_ Ame: do u know where ur emo girlfriend goes to vent? or something  _

_ Ame: shes kind of MIA _

_ Ame: prob not important but i think i should kno _

  
  
  
  


_ Ame: doootttt !!!11 _

——


	9. (Not) By Yourself

This time Lapis Lazuli woke up abruptly after a peculiar and new nightmare. 

  
  


She was sweating from head to toe, her mouth dry and eyes unfocused. Rubbing her forehead, she sat down on her bed before looking at the calendar that hung on her wall. 

  
  


Just two days. Two insignificant days before she could hold Peridot in her arms. 

  
  


Lapis smiled, confident that she will deliver a great weekend for the small girl before returning back to her studies.

  
  


And she wasn’t alone, she met with Amethyst regularly and they hung out sometimes at the donut shop and other times she showed up at her band practices.

  
  


They weren’t the perfect fit, and she eas convinced that it was mostly Peridot’s concern in leaving her alone that made Amethyst so insistent. 

  
  


Still, she was glad to have some company. Even if it was too loud sometimes. Or most times. 

  
  


But anyway.

  
  


Even if she refused to stay longer than an hour, she has to admit that Amethyst was really strong and good at battling.

  
  


Like her, she was impulsive and straight to the final blow. Their powers didn’t exactly mix well, but they were trying. Kinda.

  
  


“What the  _ heck _ was that?” Amethyst let a growl escape through her bared teeth, her whip now disappearing inside her gem.

  
  


“I had a clear shot, and took it”

  
  


“You  _ what?!” _

  
  


“I said” Lapis glared down at the smaller girl, her fists curlinf at her side “I had a chance to take the witch down, and I  _ did” _

  
  


“You could have killed yourself! I’m tired of you being so careless, I don’t want to watch when you kill yourself Lapis Lazuli”

  
  


“Then DON’T”

  
  


“FINE” Amethyst stomped out of Lapis’s sight, completely irritated and biting her tongue before saying something that she could regret.

  
  
  


Keyword on  _ trying. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Allegedly, they fit better with a few drinks on their system.

  
  


_ “Say blue,” Amethyst once said, her words struggling to roll from her numbed tongue “You do know what happens to magical girls, right?” _

  
  


_ She only nodded. _

  
  


_ “Hmm” they both stared at the ceiling, the booze forgotten between them “Thought so” _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


She enjoyed a lonely meal while the moonlight and cold wind kissed her skin.

  
  


Giggling to herself, she grabbed the paper bag formerly carrying her dinner. She got distracted by the thought of Peridot reprimanding her for littering. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ “You do know that banana peels are biodegradable, right?” she snorted at the bemused expression of her lover. _

  
  


_ “Of course I do!” her voice reached a new pitch “But first you will throw a banana peel and afterwards, you might take the excuse for a single wrapper, and that’s how everyone thinks and then you will have a complete scenery with small wrappers everyw-“ _

  
  


_ Her speech was interrupted by a smooth swept off her feet, her mouth now busy returning the slow kiss that nearly short circuited her brain. _

  
  


_ Peridot struggled to touch the ground, her arms locking behind Lapis’s head as the taller girl twirled around with ease. _

  
  


_ Finally letting Peridot on her own feet, but still hugging her tightly, she met her green eyes in awe “You are such a nerd” _

  
  


_ “Technically, that’s not an insult anymore” _

  
  


_ Lapis kissed her forehead, her glasses going askew down her nose “It doesn’t excuse you from tinkering with scraps of metal” _

  
  


_ “S-Shut up, something valuable could come out of those” _

  
  


_ “Sure thing, nerd” she kissed her again, reminiscing for a short while her times with Pearl. They would have gotten along fine… _

  
  


_ “Stop looking at me funny!”  _

  
  


_ Lapis nuzzled the other’s neck while lifting her weight once more “It’s not that, I swear” _

  
  


_ Peridot looked unconvinced “Well, you are certainly acting weird, what is it?” _

  
  


_ “Peridot I…” _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“I miss you” she whispered to no one in particular. 

  
  


She didn’t plan for her words to fall on someone’s ears.  _ Even less… _

  
  


“Do you, really?” her sickly and saccharine voice reached Lapis with a tremble, her head immediately hurting as her hand soothed her neck subconsciously.

  
  


Lapis slowly stood up, her wide eyes locked on the other girl. Her entire body was cold as ice, every nerve on edge.  _ This was not happening. _

  
  


Her wide grin splitting her face, wicked and…  _ lost. _

  
  


Lapis was ready to call upon her soul gem if necessary but she was still determining if the girl before her was a real threat.  _ This is just a bad dream again, and again. _

  
  


“Lapis Lazuli, if you missed me so much you could have called” she wasn’t drunk but there was something in her way of speaking, the words slurring and falling heavy out of her mouth. 

  
  


“I could never miss you, not even in a hundred years” 

  
  


And there it was. Something dark shifting behind her, something twisting. Lapis darted her eyes all over the other’s skin searching for the singular mark of a witch’s kiss. But there wasn’t any.

  
  


_ This is just another nightmare. You will wake up and Peridot will be back, greeting you in the morning with another pancake day. _

  
  


Lapis noticed her pupils completely blown away, her light hair disheveled. 

  
  


_ Amethyst will be sitting at the table, probably bickering with Peridot over breakfast and this will suit you nice... _

  
  


“Jasper” even saying her name felt reckless, but Lapis was trying to understand what was going on and how to act accordingly. She was strong, she could take her down and even more easily with the immediate shore ready to answer to her call.

  
  


“Yes, Lapis?” said girl flinched by the venom in Jasper’s voice.

  
  


“How did you find me?” the tanned girl answered by throwing something right at Lapis’s feet. 

  
  


It was a small robot struggling in the sand and she recognized it with her heart in her throat. It was Peridot’s widget. With a sob she kneeled and collected it from the ground with utmost care. 

  
  


It died in her hands, the beeping noises stopping. She hugged it tightly near her chest, glaring back at Jasper with tears trying to roll down her cheeks. But she couldn’t let Jasper exploit her weakness. 

  
  


“I see how it is” her arms hung on her sides, her fingers twitching while her shadow swallowed Lapis.

  
  


“What are you doing here?”

  
  


She let out a breathy laugh, and with a snap of her fingers she was engulfed with a shower of light until it was gone. On her head a heavy helmet framed her eyes, going as far as covering her nose and right above it… there was a soul gem. Jasper’s soul gem, an orange crystal. 

  
  


Except…

  
  


It’s light was dim and the gem looked murky. It was a state Lapis knew all to well “Now we are the same”

  
  


Lapis struggled to find her voice “No, Jasper. We will never be alike…”

  
  


“We could be so strong together” her hand tried to lay on Lapis’s shoulder but she flinched out of her reach “I know, I reacted poorly at first… But now I understand, we could do so much-“

  
  


“There is no  _ we,  _ Jasper” Lapis gathered herself and got up, her steps light on the sand as she recoiled out of Jasper’s grasp. She immediately summoned her own powers, deciding that whatever Jasper was up to… It was nothing good.

  
  


The bigger girl growled, her eyes weren’t focusing on anything. 

  
  


“Let me help you… Whatever you have been doing, you have driven yourself to the limit. Jasper, you are about to-“

  
  


“Well, look at you!” she barked with her shoulders tense, her fists threatening and eyes wild “Acting like you are concerned about me, like I wouldn’t know-“

  
  


“Jasper,  _ please-“ _

  
  


“You think I don’t know? You think I haven’t followed you around and your stupid dwarf? Did you seriously wanted her over  _ me?” _

  
  


Her harsh words didn’t reach Lapis’s ears. She was processing the circumstances, and she knew it was too late. 

  
  


Dark serpents swirled around Jasper, biting at her and slowly cracking her form. She was being slowly consumed by despair and the corruption of her own gem. But it didn’t stop her from trying. Even if Jasper only brought bad memories, even if her nightmares could only get worse by the sight of the girl before her… She  _ tried. _

  
  


Lapis cried her name, shielding her eyes from the sandstorm suddenly summoned where they stood. She was being dragged into Jasper’s labyrinth, alone.

  
  


Her own form withered as it was pulled within the magical realm that was soon to become Jasper’s imprisonment. 

  
  


“Do you want to know what I wished?” her smile stood crooked and wicked, her body disintegrating piece by piece “My granted wish was that I  _ always win…” _

  
  


And there was no Jasper anymore, her last piece of her humanity splitting and a dark shadow running free and out of the remnants. It traveled far and wide covering a big portion of the shore. Wherever it touched, it became rotten. There was no escaping.

  
  


Soon the labyrinth was shut tighly swallowing Lapis, trapping her inside and completely draining out every source of natural light. A strong wind mingled with glass shards delivered small but nasty cuts all over her naked skin. 

  
  


Lapis cried out, her scream joining Jasper’s final howl of inscrutable pain. She was gone. The sound was piercing her eardrums.

  
  


The final realization punched her. And this became just another witch’s labyrinth.

  
  


Just another enemy.

  
  


She saw as the last hints of the reals world finally disappear before her own eyes.

  
  


And the lone girl cried, sobbed and trashed. Her hands destroying the small widget in her hands, and this only brought more emotional exhaustion to the one she already gathered. 

  
  


Why was she even fighting in the first place? How could she stop losing people? People she loved, persons she cared about. Individuals that she wanted to forgive...

  
  


She couldn’t save Pearl, Jasper, or any of the witches that once stood like her with the truth rattling inside their skulls. 

  
  


This was the truth. 

  
  


She can’t save Peridot or Amethyst. 

  
  


She can’t even save herself this time.

  
  


Lapis felt the bent metal of Peridot’s small invention clawing her arms and knees as she curled in surrender. She could even feel shards slowly biting her back, trying to crash her soul gem.

  
  


And she was going to let them.

  
  


“I’m so sorry, Peridot” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ “Try apologizing with her as a real, present person next time, won’t you?” _

  
  


“What?” Lapis stopped shivering. A hand was placed on her back, covering her gem with warmth. She sighed as the feeling spread all over her body.

  
  


If she was dying, then… Well, this didn’t feel so bad.

  
  


_ “Lapis, you are not dying. Please stand up”  _

  
  


_ She didn’t believe the voice. But she tried to calm herself down while looking around her once again. And the labyrinth was the same, but somehow it was frozen in time.  _

  
  


_ When her body finally resisted her weight, she stood up and stared bewildered at the graceful  _ and human _ form of Pearl.  _

  
  


_ She wasn’t in pain, nor suffering. She was calm, composed and  _ smiling.

  
  


_ “I believe I never taught you to give up, Lapis” she arched an eyebrow, as smug as always. _

  
  


_ “Pearl, I…” _

  
  


_ “It’s alright, I understand” she looked behind her, sadneaa settling on her face “This is what has become of Jasper at last… Even if we never got along, it saddens me” _

  
  


_ “It doesn’t matter if it is Jasper. It’s not her fault that magical girls’ only destiny is to become witches” Lapis finally found her voice but even if she talked with courage, she certainly didn’t feel brave at all.  _

  
  


_ “Perhaps, but do you know why she corrupted so soon?” _

  
  


_ “Not really, didn’t have the time to…”  _

  
  


_ Pearl chuckled behind her hand, her eyes now fixed on Lapis’s exhausted and frail frame “You have had better days” _

  
  


_ “Don’t we all?” she found it in herself to smile. At least, she would enjoy a final chat with her friend before following her steps.  _

  
  


_ “You need to stop thinking like this is the end, or it will bite you back” _

  
  


_ Lapis didn’t feel like arguing with her. This seemed like the end after all.  _

  
  


_ She coughed and gracefully sat down, guiding Lapis to do the same beside her “Jasper’s wish-“ _

  
  


_ “She wanted to always win, and she’s doing it nicely… Finally winning over me”  _

  
  


_ “Stop Lapis. Jasper’s wish was a curse on itself, even if the threat was great she didn’t have the choice to backstep anymore. Her power withered and brought her soul to its end, she either won or-“ _

  
  


_ “Died” _

  
  


_ Pearl wore a tired smile letting her hand rest on the other’s forearm “Correct… She had no choice” she dropped her gaze and softly said “I’m sorry” _

  
  


_ And it was those small worda that tore her apart. Because Pearl’s apology, or her last bit of consciousness putting Pearl’s form together, was meant to all the promises she couldn’t fulfill.  _

  
  


_ It was really her own sorrow. Lapis apologizing to herself, only. _

  
  


_ Sorry for not being able to save everyone.  _

  
  


_ Sorry for never going back for the proper closure, Jasper.  _

  
  


_ Sorry for never letting you go, Pearl.  _

  
  


_ Sorry for being so stubborn about living on. _

  
  


_ “I’m sorry for…” a blonde’s smile wrapped over her thoughts “I’m so sorry for not being able to…” _

  
  


_ “Lapis” said girl didn’t notice when her tears started to fall from her eyes. She managed to snap out of her sorrow as soon as Pearl’s arms drapped around her “It’s okay to be selfish, to have desires and expectations. We can’t change the fact that we are magical girls expecting to corrupt any second…” her embrace loosened, her voice becoming a whisper from far away “But would it hurt too much to encourage yourself and feel real joy? Real love?” _

  
  


_ “Pearl, wait!” _

  
  


_ “There is nothing wrong in making excuses and enjoy whatever is left of what you can’t change” _

  
  


_ “Please, don’t go…” _

  
  


_ “Lapis” _

  
  


_ “I can’t take her on my own, I-“ _

  
  


_ “Lapis” _

  
  


_ “I can’t do it” _

  
  


“-arth to blue, hello?!” a hand waved widly in front of her eyes, the owner staring at her with worry hanging on her face “Geez, come back to us, please?”

  
  


“Amethyst?” her voice was weak and weary. She couldn’t feel the unforgiving wind slashing her skin anymore. 

  
  


“Yes, finally! Oh god, I’m so glad we found you-“

  
  


_ Wait,  _ “We?”

  
  


“Yeah, of course. She wasn’t the only one, I was worried sick too. I  _ do _ like you okay?” Amethyst didn’t understand the real intention behind, but Lapis didn’t have strength enough to ask again “It’s okay, we are gonna get you out of here. But I need you to protect yourself, the familiars in this labyrinth seem to target you exclusively for some reason”

  
  


“...”

  
  


“Can you do that?” 

  
  


She nodded, not really paying much attention but Lapis was cert planning on staying alive at least. A newfound gope bubbling in the pit of her stomach.

  
  


“Right, you are not very convincing but I promise we’ll be back in a second” she finally left the blue haired girl behind, not before throwing a worried look at her “You better aee another day, blue. We still got a bottle to share back at home” she swiftly swung in the air with the help of her whip. 

  
  


_ Home. _

  
  


Back at  _ home. _

  
  


The thought no longer foreign, she was willing to survive this. She wasn’t alone.

  
  


Her blue eyes followed the girl, but something at the corner of her eye bothered her. 

  
  


She finally looked straight ahead and sobbed, her entire body shaking uncontrollably. Relief washed over her as she recognized the back of those ridiculous boots and frilly shorts.

  
  


Right in front of her, carrying an enormous shield out of scraps of metal, was Peridot.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, there is another chapter left, and this time it will be the last one for sure. I didn’t plan so much angst to happen, but sometimes you gotta...


	10. And I’m Home

_ She never had enough whenever they started kissing. It goes as far as kissing her  _ everywhere _ she could, which was a large amount of naked skin ready for her. And her only. _

  
  


_ Whenever she got to see her eyes, the blue hue was hungry and hooded, lust swirling in it. Then the spell would be broken as she closes them to resume showering her lover with kisses and a few bites here and there.  _

  
  


_ She made it her job to remind her lover how beautiful she was and how she tasted like honey, and in her throat the girl was surely swallowing i love yous and adore yous. _

  
  


_ It was too much for her small body. She could willingly let herself be teared apart by the soft hands of the artist above her, and she will be thankful. No matter how long it might take her to pull her back together.  _

  
  


_ She kneeled between her legs, kissing and sucking her thighs leaving reminders of this night. Brush strokes of purple and soft green, the melodic sound of their breaths and moans colliding in the humid air, and her tongue- _

  
  


She was pulled out of her thoughts by the persistent call of her name.

  
  


At her side, her friend stared at her with amusement “You back to my side alright? It looks like a nice daydream you were having”

  
  


Peridot could feel her already flushed skin aggravating. She fixed her glasses and chugged down the rest of her water.

  
  


“I was saying… Is it really alright for me to drop by? I mean, wouldn’t I be bothering you and your girlfriend-“

  
  


“S-She’s not my girlfriend…”

  
  


_ “Yet” _ Peridot didn’t argue “Still, though” Bismuth gestured with her hands trying to get her point across. The blonde only watched her exasperated.

  
  


“I don’t understand the matter, why would you be a nuisance? You are my friend, and if it weren’t for your actions we wouldn’t be in this smelly bus in the first place”

  
  


“Aw shoot, Dot. That’s the best thing you have said to me so far” She grinned widely and it reached her eyes, warm and honest. Peridot was convinced that Amethyst would find Bismuth to her liking. She hasn’t decided if this was a good or a bad thing. 

  
  


“It is true though” Peridot wrinkled her nose with the bad memory of nearly losing back at the white witch’s labyrinth, and neither living to tell “Thanks to your impulsive act of stabbing me-“

  
  


“I already said sorry!” 

  
  


“No! Listen to me, we wouldn’t have survived, Bismuth. Your reckless decision got us here” 

  
  


“In this smelly bus?” 

  
  


“Exactly” a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. 

  
  


Thanks to Bismuth’s fast thinking, she was going to see Lapis and Amethyst again, and forever will feel grateful. 

  
  


Now all that was left was to find Lapis, and bring her back  _ home. _ Wherever that was.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ Home. _

  
  


_ Lapis, we are bringing you home. _

  
  


_ You don’t have to fight alone. It’s okay to depend on others, it’s okay to be afraid. _

  
  


_ It’s okay to acknowledge your weakness. _

  
  


_ Please, let’s go home. _

  
  


_ Come back to me. _

  
  


_ Please. _

  
  


“Earth to blue, hello?!” Peridot could hear Amethyst frantically trying to snap Lapis out of her shell “Geez, come back to us, please?”

  
  


Right now wasn’t the time to analyze whatever was wrong. She still heard the heavy slam of Bismuth’s hammer and it was all the reminder she needed that the fight was still going on. Her goal was to get all four of them out, safe and sound. Mind and body.

  
  


And this particular witch didn’t seem as threatening as the one Bismuth and Peridot took down (by an inch, but nevertheless they are alive and kicking so it counts) but she was standing guard between the two magical girls and the threat of the labyrinth that for some reason kept trying to hurt Lapis specifically. Peridot had a hunch that the answer was within her grasp, but not now…

  
  


Mind and body, safe and sound. She has to protect them. Lapis is fine. They were going to be fine. They’ll be home in no time…

  
  


And Lapis- “Amethyst?”, her voice made Peridot turn around with a whiplash. She saw the blue haired girl shift uncomfortably on the corner of her eyes.

  
  


“Yes, finally! Oh god, I’m so glad we found you-“

  
  


She couldn’t hear the rest of their conversation. Her distraction wasnt taken for granted, given the enemy that pulled hard down and she found her small frame suddenly surrendering and propping a knee on the shattered glass on the floor. 

  
  


Peridot bit down her scream and gathered her stance once again, wielding more scraps of metal and pinning down the humanoid. As soon as it hit the ground, it howled and evaporated. 

  
  


She could hear the acute sound of Amethyst’s whip in the middle of the labyrinth’s uproar, certainly no longer behind her with-

  
  


“Peridot?” 

  
  


Lapis was struggling to say her name, her voice almost unrecognizable and  _ shu  _ but it was  _ her _ undoubtedly. Her hiccups nearly making Peridot to throw away the defense and run to her arms. But not  _ yet. _

  
  


She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as the metal tingled and its sounds reached her eardrums. As if it were her own concert, she swung her fingers giving up her shield in millions of needles that struck every moving foe.

  
  


Before her, Bismuth and Amethyst stood staring in shock at the smallest of the group. Every minion stumbling down and soon after disappearing for good “Well, that’s a way of…”

  
  


“Um, yeah. Dot. Thanks” the purple fighter scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. A pregnant pause made its way between them as Peridot was having it hard to even breathe normally, it took a lot of energy to pull that stunt. A reckless but strong move, beyond effective.

  
  


“Right, it kind of stings not making you help before-“

  
  


“Anyway!” Amethyst interrupted promptly, side glancing to the blue haired girl limping towards Peridot. The latter was kneeling, her body numbed from the extended use of her own power “Bismuth, was your name right?”

  
  


“Last time I checked” 

  
  


“Okay, let’s hit it them” they started walking towards the middle of the labyrinth, their wordlessly shared plan intending to leave the two girls alone-

  
  


“Wait” they stopped in their tracks and looked back at the tall girl, but she wasn’t meeting them. Instead, said girl’s eyes were fixated on the small girl whose body could barely stand alone. They stared confused at the scene unfolding.

  
  


Lapis’s arms danced in the air with a snake made purely of water answering her call. The lively reptile slowly and ever so softly lifted the small girl in the air, carefully driving her right on Lapis’s lap as she currently sat waiting impatiently to properly embrace her lover.

  
  


Peridot finally opened her eyes and took Lapis’s face. She smiled, her eyes tired and glassy from unshed tears. Her mouth opened to say something, but Lapis hushed her and stroke her cheek with her fingertips. 

  
  


They could have swore that they saw every single muscle in Peridot’s body relax and expell the tension, even from where they stood moderately away. And even if the scene happening was foreign to the other two magicals girls watching agape, somehow they felt the warmth spreading all over their own bodies too. 

  
  


Everything else was paralyzed, unattended and unimportant. Even the labyrinth seemed to hold its breath.

  
  


The two lovers stared fondly at each other. No matter how long, it never seemed enough. And this was something they were sharing in their small and invisible bubble, but neither Bismuth nor Amethyst could find it in themselves to look away. It didn’t bother them anyway, too focused on their significant other.

  
  


Not even when Lapis kissed Peridot’s eyelids and the small girl shivered by the yearned attention. 

  
  


Not when they exchanged a silent agreement between elongated sighs, their lips brushing slightly. 

  
  


And Lapis kissing her twice. And a third time, and again. Again. Until Peridot frowned and giggled. And her kisses multiplied, one for each beautiful freckle in her round face. Even that wasn’t enough.

  
  


A different kind of fondness bubbled in Amethyst and Bismuth, an absentminded smile on their faces.

  
  


What did made them look away though, was the deafening sound of the witch’s scream tearing the place. 

  
  


Quite literally, the floor was shattered and if it weren’t for Lapis hugging Peridot tightly, they would have been pulled apart. 

  
  


Amethyst looked at Bismuth and she nodded, but before they could take a single step an enormous wall of water swallowed them and surely, they expected to be drowning as their hands grabbed their throats waiting for them to burn and their lungs to give up any lasting air. But it never came.

  
  


Bismuth was the first one to realize that she could breathe just fine even if the water reached above her head. And as she watched this, she also noticed the blue magical girl skillfully ride the wave with Peridot secure in her arms. At her right, Amethyst seemed to reach the understanding on her own.

  
  


When they finally crossed the door, merciless tearing it from its place, Lapis dropped them on their feet.

  
  


Carefully lying Peridot between the other two confused magical girls, she flapped her blue wings and said loudly to the twitching quadruped in visible pain “Jasper, I… I forgive you”

  
  


Peridot started stirring in her place, her hands supporting her head. Amethyst helped her to stand but her eyes were still locked on the floating form of Lapis Lazuli

“And I will always work on forgiving myself” she slumped her shoulders, the moment as still as it can be lbut more importantly-“ 

Her hand hung above her head, ice shards surrounding the witch waiting for her next move. The creature trembled, but Lapis did not. Not now, not then, and not when her hand curled into a fist.

  
  


“I hope you can forgive me, too”

  
  


And with a piercing howl that threatened to make their ears bleed and wind them useless, it was over before it even started.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Lapis Lazuli had a dreamless night. Although, she always thought those kind of nights just meant that she couldn’t remember whatever fazed her in her slumber. It didn’t matter either way. 

  
  


She recognized the ceiling above, and the memories of last night hit her with a crash of heat. Her face was surely red by now, but the matter that she was alone got inside her skin faster than the reminiscing or a lust driven evening.

  
  


The magical girl hugged what she supposed was her lover’s pillow. The took in the last remnants of her scent.

  
  


_ “Peridot” she was crying, not only her name but tears started to travel all the way to her naked chest.  _

  
  


_ The small girl stared up at her with so much  _ love  _ in those beautiful green eyes. Even when her face was framed between Lapis’s shaking thighs and the exhale of her button nose tickled her pubic hair, she held so much innocence.  _

  
  


_ “Peridot, I-“ _

  
  


_ “I love you Lapis Lazuli” she whispered. And it should be illegal to do so, and look so endearing even when seconds ago- “Y-You don’t have to say it back just because I-“ _

  
  


_ Lapis pulled her close, her arms locking just above her waist. She took her time in kissing Peridot’s chin, and her cheeks, her nose and ita bridge, right between her eyebrows and above, on her eyelids and finally delivering a long kiss sending shivers down her spine.  _

  
  


_ Peridot kissed back feverishly, their hands roaming free and caressing their sides, their breasts, their backs and arms, every inch on each other’s skin and it wasn’t enough. They wanted to hold each other forever but they has to break apart and remember to breathe.  _

  
  


_ “I was going to say it first but you interrupted me, nerd” Lapis finally said, her heartbeat ricocheting. She could burst into flames any second, but Peridot helped her remain calm. Her presence soothed her to no end. _

  
  


_ “Were you, really?” Peridot worried her bottom lip. _

  
  


_ Lapis kissed her again, “Yeah” _

  
  


_ The blonde grinned and nuzzled her neck, resting atop of the other’s collarbone. _

  
  


_ “I love you, Peridot” _

  
  
  
  


Lapis smiled with the afterglow characteristic of a well spent night while she searched for her clothes haphazardly thrown the day before. Of course.

  
  


When she finally got to properly fit clothes on her formerly naked body and cover any tale tell marks, she washed herself and long stared her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

  
  


For a minute or so, she watched the honest glee which with her own eyes shone. It was hauntingly… Perfect. Everything was. 

  
  


Except when she walked out of Peridot’s door and stumbled face first with Amethyst’s suggestive eyebrow wiggle from her sitting position at the couch. 

  
  


She ignored her completely,  _ or tried _ , making her way to the apartment’s kitchen where she also found-  _ Bismuth, _ she immediately recalled- wide eyed and meeting her blue gaze with the same level of amusement. 

  
  


Lapis arched an eyebrow and panned to where her lover stood while serving an unhealthy amount of leftover pizza on her plate.

  
  


It didn’t hit Lapis instantly, of course. Given that she looked between the two other girls with an obvious puzzled stare. They just snickered and turnes their eyes away.

  
  


And then she noticed that Peridot’s choice of clothes for the day were a comfortable sports bra and shorts that  _ were too short.  _ And  _ no, _ the evident flush on Lapis’s face didnt come for Peridot’s questionable wardrobe (at least not entirely).

  
  


Lapis was screaming inside her head and this only fueled the other two girl’s fun, as they begun to muffled their laughter and horribly failing at it. It was evident that the blue haired girl wanted to punch her face right into the wall, or ask the ground to bury her alive.

  
  


And Peridot didn’t even acknowledge even a tint bit of the whole situation. Her sleep-deprived body on automatic as it heated her food in the microwave. 

  
  


Right above the V cut of her bra and on every inch of her upper thighs, was the plain evidence of how their reunion was properly consumed.

  
  


With a rush of adrenaline, she grabbed the oblivious girl above her shoulder and dragged her again inside her dorm while Peridot struggled and resisted against the sudden assault. 

  
  


She could only hear part of Peridot’s argument about the pizza she left, as Bismuth and Amethyst’s thunderous laughter and wheezing shook the whole apartment.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“Do you still want to do this?”

  
  


“Yes”

  
  


Peridot nodded. Her fingers back to working on the beams before her. With ease, the metal bended at her will and stuck perpendicularly, sliding down until it met the sand below. The vertical end buried deep in the ground, ending in a proud cross that stood in the lonely beach. 

  
  


When it finally stopped and stuck as wanted, the only sound remaining was that of the waves crashing against the mangrove’s thick roots.

  
  


Peridot repeated the same action, providing a second makeshift monument and when completely satisfied of her work, she detransformed turning back to her normal clothes. She looked back at her girlfriend for validation.

  
  


Lapis kissed her before starting to work herself. 

  
  


She started decorating the two graves with brush strokes, a few smooth rocks and wild flowers they found on their way here. 

  
  


As an offer, they put a few items that resembled both Jasper’s and Pearl’s possessions. Nothing too important, but it’s what they got.

  
  


Within her hands, Lapis hold a single white pearl. With a shattered sigh, she delivered a soft kiss on its smooth surface before depositing it in a small dent on her best friend’s grave. 

  
  


For now, it was enough.

  
  


Peridot offered her hand, her yellow skirt fluttering with the wind.

  
  


Lapis didn’t meet her eyes.

  
  


She fixed the words that indefinitely hung in their shared silence “You know, If we do this then it means we got to acknowledge every magical girl that-“

  
  


“I know” a curious glint traveled shortly by her blue eyes as she finally saw the girl before her “But, until then…” 

  
  


She grabbed Peridot’s hand tight. 

  
  


“Let’s enjoy while it lasts”

  
  


“And certainly let’s not make Bismuth delay the bus any longer for us. We both have a schedule to meet now” she wrinkled her nose at the thought of their friend probably in heavy despair by now.

  
  


The blue haired magical girl smiled sincerely and pulled her girlfriend closer, resting her chin above her blonde hair. She stared at the two improvised gravestones a last time before leaving her state for a while.

  
  


For now, home moves a little farther. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! The title of this chapter comes from the Kyouko + Sayaka song (the voice actors whose names I ignore right now). The song is beautiful, it has always been stuck with me since watching that particular episode.
> 
> As for the ending, Lapis joins college with Peridot and Bismuth (sometimes i hc Lapis as a graphic designer maybe, but its not that important). They obviously travel back and meet Amethyst once in a while.
> 
> I decided to end it as it did because... you know how the drill goes with magical girls in Madoka Magica and no señor... I would rather have a happy ending.

**Author's Note:**

> I would lie if i said that i haven’t been sketching their magical girls’ customs. 
> 
> (Find the concept art here:
> 
> https://cloudinne.tumblr.com/post/615936392757968896/some-concept-art-for-the-lapidot-madoka
> 
> *)


End file.
